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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Waldorf

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.

 

23

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND10ND
2015ND30ND
2016ND70ND
2017N/A00N/A
2018ND10ND
2019ND110ND

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
2014-07-250080049_01_00036ND
2015-08-19E16000688001ND
2015-10-15E16001663001ND
2015-10-15E16001663003ND
2016-05-24E16004452002ND
2016-05-24E16004457001ND
2016-08-10E17000579002ND
2016-10-24E17001823003ND
2016-10-24E17001824003ND
2016-10-24E17001824004ND
2016-10-24E17001824001ND
2018-07-17E19000163001ND
2019-03-26E19003139001ND
2019-03-26E19003126001ND
2019-04-043026085001_AND
2019-04-19E19003517001ND
2019-06-13E19004315005ND
2019-06-27E19004508001ND
2019-06-27E19004507001ND
2019-06-27E19004506001ND
2019-07-10E20000115002ND
2019-07-10E20000119001ND
2019-09-27E20001252001ND