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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - Wilmington

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.

 

35

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
2014ND40ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND30ND
2017ND20ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND90ND

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
2014-02-05201402060612ND
2014-05-07201405090681ND
2014-08-06201408070253ND
2014-11-05201411060235ND
2015-02-12ND
2015-04-13ND
2015-05-12ND
2015-07-08ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-11-12ND
2015-11-16ND
2016-04-073427045ND
2016-11-013577048ND
2016-11-013577060ND
2017-01-173622926ND
2017-01-173622932ND
2018-02-133871684 ND
2018-04-303925326 ND
2018-05-093932361 ND
2018-07-1092391593001SOC ND
2018-07-1292391890001SOC ND
2018-08-0292394426001SOC ND
2018-11-074114204 ND
2018-11-074114582 ND
2018-12-174152240 ND
2019-02-054189337 ND
2019-05-074286100 ND
2019-08-064377268 ND
2019-09-164424754 ND
2019-09-234434024 ND
2019-09-2637729_19-41714 ND
2019-10-014441898 ND
2019-10-014443206 ND
2019-10-014443223 ND