United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4601
EPA 811-F-95-003 h-C
October 1995
&EPA
National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations
2,4-D
This is a factsheet about a chemical that may be found in some public
or private drinking water supplies. It may cause health problems if
found in amounts greater than the health standard set by the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
DRINKING WATER
STANDARDS:
MCLG:
MCL:
70PPB
?OPPB
WHAT is
2,4-D •
AND HOW IS IT USED?
WHY is 2,4-D
BEING REGULATED?
WHAT ARE THE
HEALTH EFFECTS?
2,4-D is a colorless, odorless powder used as a herbicide for the control of
broad-leaf weeds in agriculture, and for control of woody plants along roadsides,
railways, and utilities rights of way. It has been most widely used on such crops
as wheat and corn, and on pasture and rangelands.
The list of trade names given below may help you find out whether you are using
this chemical at home or work.
In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This
law requires EPA to determine safe levels of chemicals in
drinking water which do or may cause health problems. These
non-enforceable levels, based solely on possible health risks
and exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals'.
The MCLG for 2,4-D has been set at 70 parts per billion (ppb)
because EPA believes this level of protection would not cause
any of the potential health problems described below.
Based on this MCLG, EPA has set an enforceable standard
called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as
dlese to the MCLGs as possible, considering the ability of
public water systems to detect and remove contaminants
using suitable treatment technologies.
The MCL has been set at 70 ppb because EPA believes,
given present technology and resources, this is the lowest
level to which water systems can reasonably be required to
remove this contaminant should it occur in drinking water.
These drinking water standards and the regulations for
ensuring these standards are met, are called National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations. All public water supplies must
abide by these regulations.
Short-term: EPA has found 2,4-D to potentially cause the
following health effects when people are exposed to it at levels
above the MCL for relatively short periods of time: nervous
system damage.
Long-term: 2,4-D has the potential to cause the following
TRADE NAMES AND.
SYNONYMS:
"AGENT WHITE"
BLADEX-B
BRUSH KILLER 64
DICOFUR
DORMON•
IPANER
MOXON
NETAGRONE
PIELIK
VERTON 38
MOTA MASKROS
SILVAPROP 1
AGRICORN D
ACME LAM
CROPRIDER
FERNESTA
LAWN-KEEP
PENNAMINE D
PLANTGARD
TRIBUTON
WEED-B-GON
WEEDATUL
AGROXONE
WEEDAR
SALVO
GREEN CROSS ,
WEED-NO-MORE 80
RED DEVIL DRY •
WEED KILLER
SCOTT'S 4XD
WEED-RHAP LV40
WEEDONE 100
2.4-DlCHLORO-
PHENOXYACETIC ACID
October 1995
Consumer Version
Printed on Recycled Paper
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effects from a lifetime exposure at levels
RELEASES To WATER AND LAND:
1987 To 1993 above the MCL: damage to the nervous
system, kidneys and liver.
Water Land
Production of 2,4-0 was 45.1 million lbs How MUCH 2,4D
TOTALS (in pounds) 3,444 113.358 Is PRODUCED AND
1982. 1 91 data indicates only that pro-
RELEASED TO THE
Top Five States .uction exceeded 5000 lbs. Major environ- ENVIRONMENT?
HI 0 73,679
‘FL 5 38.456 mental releases of 2,4-D are due to agricul-
MO 1,817 0
MI 822 8 tural applications of systemic herbicides. It
l x 800 0 is also released as a result of the production
Major IndustiIes or disposal of 2,4-D or its by-products.
Cane sugar 0 99,886 From 1987 to 1993, according to EPA’s
Agn. chems. 2,616 815
Plastics, resins 696 0 Toxic Chemical Release Inventory, 2,4-D
Misc. manufact. 0 400 releases to land and water totalled over
Gen. Chemical 126 8
116,000 lbs. These releases were primarily
Waterlkand totals only include facilities with from cane sugar-related industries (except
releases greater than a certain amount - usually
1000 to 10.000 lI s. refineries). The largest releases occurred
in Hawaii.
2,4-D is readily degraded by microbes in soil and water. Leaching to ground WHATHAPPENS TO
water may occur in coarse-grained sandy soils with low organic content or with 2,4-D
very basic soils. In general little runoff occurs with 2,4-0 or its amine salts. There WHEN IT IS RELEASED TO
is no evidence that bioconcentration of 2,4-D occurs through the food chain. This THE ENVIRONMENT?
has been known from large-scale monitoring studies of soils, foods, feedstuffs,
wildlife, human beings, and from other environmental cycling studies.
The regulation for 2,4-D became effective in 1992. Between 1993 and 1995, How WILL
2,4-D
EPA required your water supplier to collect water samples every 3 months for one BE D cmo IN AND
year and analyze them to find out if 2,4-D is present above 0.5 ppb. If it is present REMOVED FROM
above this level, the system must continue to monitor this contaminant. M DRINKING WATER?
If contaminant levels are found to be consistently above the MCL, your water
supplier must take steps to reduce the amount of.2,4-D so-that it is consistently
below that level. The following treatment methods have been approved by EPA
for removing 2,4-D: Granular activated charcoal.
How w iLl. I KNOW IF
If the levels of 2,4-D exceed the MCL, 70 ppb, the system must notify the public 2,4D , MY DRINKING
via newspapers, radio, TV and other means. Additional actions, such as providing WATER?
alternative drinking water supplies, may be required to prevent serious risks to
public health.
Learn more about your drinking water!
EPA strongly encourages people to learn more Your state Department of Health/Environment is also a
about their drinking water, and to support local efforts valuable source of information.
to protect and upgrade the supply of safe dnnking For help in locating these agencies or for information on
water. Your water bill or telephone book’s govern- drinking water in general, call:
ment listin’gs are a good starting Poiflt. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426-4791.
Your local water supplier can give you a list of the For additional information on the uses and releases of
chemicals they test for in your water, as well as how chemicals in your state, contact the:
your water is treated. Community Right-to-Know Hotline: (800) 535-0202.
October 1995 Consumer Version Page 2
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