2,4-D General Fact Sheet (2024)

• What is 2,4-D?
• What are some products that contain 2,4-D?
• How does 2,4-D work?
• How might I be exposed to 2,4-D?
• What are some signs and symptoms from a brief exposure to 2,4-D?
• What happens to 2,4-D when it enters the body?
• Is 2,4-D likely to contribute to the development of cancer?
• Has anyone studied non-cancer effects from long-term exposure to 2,4-D?
• Are children more sensitive to 2,4-D than adults?
• What happens to 2,4-D in the environment?
• Can 2,4-D affect birds, fish, and other wildlife?

What is 2,4-D?

2,4-D is an herbicide that kills plants by changing the way certaincells grow. 2,4-D comes in several chemical forms, including salts,esters, and an acid form. The toxicity of 2,4-D depends on its form.The form also affects what will happen to 2,4-D in the environmentand what impacts it may have, especially on fish. 2,4-D isused in many products to control weeds, and it is often mixedwith other herbicides in these products.

2,4-D was first used in the United States in the 1940s. Agent Orange,an herbicide used during the Vietnam War, contained both2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. Dioxin, a by-product of 2,4,5-T, led to the ban ofa*gent Orange.

What are some products that contain 2,4-D?

Products containing 2,4-D may be liquids, dusts, or granules. The liquid forms may be concentrated or ready-to-use.There are over a thousand products with 2,4-D in them that are sold in the United States.

Always follow label instructions and take steps to avoid exposure. If any exposures occur, be sure to follow the FirstAid instructions on the product label carefully. For additional treatment advice, contact the Poison Control Center at1-800-222-1222. If you wish to discuss a pesticide problem, please call 1-800-858-7378.

How does 2,4-D work?

2,4-D kills broadleaf weeds but not most grasses. 2,4-D kills plants by causing the cells in the tissues that carry waterand nutrients to divide and grow without stopping. Herbicides that act this way are called auxin-type herbicides.

How might I be exposed to 2,4-D?

Products with 2,4-D may be used on farms, home lawns, roadsides, industrial areas,and pastures. You may be exposed if you are applying 2,4-D and you get it onyour skin, breathe it in, or eat or smoke afterwards without washing your hands.You also may be exposed if you touch plants that are still wet with spray. Youcan limit exposure by following the label carefully if you are using products thatcontain 2,4-D. You can also stay away from grass or plants that have been treateduntil the leaves are dry.

What are some signs and symptoms from a brief exposure to 2,4-D?

Pure 2,4-D is low in toxicity if eaten, inhaled, or if it contacts the skin, and someforms are low in toxicity to the eyes. However, the acid and salt forms of 2,4-D can cause severe eye irritation. People who drank products containing 2,4-D vomited, had diarrhea, headaches, and were confused or aggressive. Somepeople also had kidney failure and skeletal muscle damage. People who spilled2,4-D on their skin developed skin irritation. Breathing 2,4-D vapors can causecoughing, a burning feeling in the airway, and dizziness.

Pets may be exposed to 2,4-D if they touch grass or other plants still wet fromspraying and then groom their feet or fur, if they drink the pesticide, or possiblyif they eat grass that has been treated with 2,4-D. Dogs may be more sensitiveto 2,4-D than other animals. Dogs and cats that ate or drank products with2,4-D in them developed vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, drooling,staggering, or convulsions. See the fact sheet on Pets and Pesticide Use formore information.

What happens to 2,4-D when it enters the body?

In humans, 2,4-D is not absorbed well through the skin or lungs, but it is absorbed into the body if swallowed. Sunscreen,insect repellents, and drinking alcohol may increase how much 2,4-D is absorbed through the skin. Onceinside, 2,4-D moves throughout the body but does not build up in any tissues. The human body gets rid of most ofthe 2,4-D in the urine without changing it into anything else. More than 75% of the absorbed 2,4-D leaves the bodyin the first 4 days after exposure.

Is 2,4-D likely to contribute to the development of cancer?

Scientists have not found a clear link between 2,4-D and cancer in people. Because 2,4-D is often mixed with otherherbicides, it is difficult to tell if 2,4-D or one of the other herbicides might be linked to cancer. Some studies have suggestedthat there may be links between non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and exposure to 2,4-D by itself, but other studieshave not found any evidence of this.

In 2004, the EPA decided that 2,4-D could not be classified with regard to its ability to cause cancer because there wasnot enough data.

Has anyone studied non-cancer effects from long-term exposure to 2,4-D?

Animals fed high doses of 2,4-D for several weeks sometimes had fewer young or the young did not have normalskeletons. This only happened if the amount of 2,4-D fed to the mothers was enough to affect the mothers. 2,4-D hasnot been linked to health problems in human mothers or infants.

Are children more sensitive to 2,4-D than adults?

While children may be especially sensitive to pesticides compared to adults,there are currently no data to conclude that children have increased sensitivityspecifically to 2,4-D.

What happens to 2,4-D in the environment?

2,4-D goes through different changes in the environment depending on its form.Most of the time, 2,4-D breaks down in soil so that half of the original amount isgone in 1-14 days. This breakdown time is called the "half-life" of the pesticide.One form of 2,4-D, the butoxyethyl ester, had a much longer half-life in aquaticsediment of 186 days.

2,4-D is broken down by bacteria in water and in soil. Water alone can also breakdown 2,4-D. 2,4-D has been found at low levels in shallow groundwater andstreams in both rural and urban areas.

Can 2,4-D affect birds, fish, or other wildlife?

How 2,4-D affects animals and plants depends on the form of 2,4-D.Some of the ester forms of 2,4-D can be very toxic to fish and otheraquatic life. The salt forms may be only slightly toxic to aquatic animals.Aquatic animals are more sensitive to 2,4-D as water temperature rises.2,4-D may be moderately toxic to practically non-toxic to birds if theyeat it. Eggs sprayed with 2,4-D still hatched and the chicks were normal.2,4-D is practically non-toxic to honeybees. It is not expected to be ahazard to other beneficial insects.