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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Cassatt Water Kershaw-lee Company RWA

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.

 

29

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND60ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND110ND
2017N/A00N/A
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND120ND

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
2014-01-22AD34864ND
2014-01-22AD34860ND
2014-04-23AD38844ND
2014-04-23AD38845ND
2014-08-13AD44050ND
2014-10-30AD47415ND
2016-04-19AD74644ND
2016-04-19AD74643ND
2016-04-19AD74641ND
2016-04-19AD74642ND
2016-04-25AD74831ND
2016-04-25AD74828ND
2016-04-25AD74829ND
2016-04-25AD74830ND
2016-04-25AD74832ND
2016-09-15AD82548ND
2016-09-19AD82888ND
2019-04-24AE29261ND
2019-04-24AE29257ND
2019-04-24AE29260ND
2019-04-24AE29258ND
2019-05-01AE29691ND
2019-05-01AE29688ND
2019-05-01AE29692ND
2019-05-01AE29689ND
2019-05-01AE29686ND
2019-05-01AE29685ND
2019-05-01AE29684ND
2019-05-01AE29682ND