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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Enterprise Water Works

2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) is a herbicide that can be applied directly to GMO corn and soy plants engineered to withstand this toxic chemical. Americans' exposures to 2,4-D from food and drinking water will likely increase in years to come as farmers plant more of these GMO crops. Read More.

2,4-D is an endocrine disruptor that interferes with thyroid hormones. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies 2,4-D as possibly carcinogenic to humans. In occupational studies, farmers exposed to 2,4-D tended to have higher incidences of damaged and malformed sperm. Laboratory animals exposed to 2,4-D during gestation are born underdeveloped and are more likely to have birth defects.

 

68

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND110ND
2015ND160ND
2016ND100ND
2017ND150ND
2018ND160ND
2019N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 20 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 20 ppb for 2,4-D was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against harm to internal organs.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 70 ppb

The legal limit for 2,4-D, established in 1991, was based on toxicity studies in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s. This limit may not fully protect against harm to the nervous system, harm to the thyroid, and hormone disruption.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-03-121403-00284-10ND
2014-03-121403-00284-11ND
2014-06-251406-00311-9ND
2014-06-251406-00311-3ND
2014-06-251406-00311-5ND
2014-06-251406-00311-7ND
2014-08-191408-00277-6ND
2014-08-191408-00277-5ND
2014-08-191408-00277-2ND
2014-08-191408-00277-3ND
2014-08-191408-00277-4ND
2015-02-171502-00240-1ND
2015-02-171502-00240-4ND
2015-02-171502-00240-2ND
2015-02-171502-00240-6ND
2015-02-171502-00240-3ND
2015-06-151506-00228-2SND
2015-06-151506-00228-1SND
2015-06-151506-00228-3SND
2015-06-151506-00228-3ND
2015-06-151506-00228-1ND
2015-06-151506-00228-2ND
2015-09-141509-00177-1ND
2015-11-041511-00076-4ND
2015-11-041511-00076-3ND
2015-11-041511-00076-2ND
2015-11-041511-00076-1ND
2016-03-161603-00261-3SND
2016-03-161603-00261-2SND
2016-03-161603-00261-1SND
2016-09-131609-00214-9ND
2016-09-131609-00214-12ND
2016-10-181610-00215-1SND
2016-12-061612-00141-26ND
2016-12-061612-00141-22ND
2016-12-061612-00141-33ND
2016-12-061612-00141-29ND
2017-02-281703-0015-008`ND
2017-02-281703-0015-006ND
2017-03-211703-00293-4ND
2017-06-221706-00372-5ND
2017-06-221706-00372-8ND
2017-06-221706-00372-1ND
2017-06-221706-00372-3ND
2017-06-261706-00408-1ND
2017-09-191709-00306-2ND
2017-09-191709-00306-6ND
2017-09-191709-00306-3ND
2017-09-191709-00306-5ND
2017-09-191709-00306-1ND
2017-09-191709-00306-4ND
2017-10-311711-00018-3ND
2018-03-141803-00266-31ND
2018-03-141803-00266-32ND
2018-03-141803-00266-33ND
2018-03-141803-00266-002ND
2018-03-141803-00266-34ND
2018-06-121806-00190-002ND
2018-06-121806-00190-003ND
2018-09-051809-00070-002ND
2018-09-051809-00070-007ND
2018-09-051809-00070-003ND
2018-09-051809-00070-009ND
2018-09-051809-00070-006ND
2018-11-271811-00495-010ND
2018-11-271811-00495-004ND
2018-11-271811-00495-001ND
2018-11-271811-00495-007ND