Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management

Beyond Pesticides offers resources below to evaluate the health and ecological effects of specific chemical exposure from ACTIVE INGREDIENTS in pesticide products, as well as regulatory information and supporting scientific documents. Because various pesticide products can contain more than one active ingredient, it is important to READ the LABEL to determine chemical components.

With 192 different active ingredients and counting, it is essential to establish the connection between the use of these chemicals and their respective hazards.

View the step-by-step guide on how to search for the active ingredient(s) in pesticide products below:

1. Go to U.S. EPA's Pesticide Product and Label System and enter the product name. The generic product name may vary.
   
2. After searching, click on the chemical ingredients tab or the link for the most recent label to find Active Ingredients.
                Chemical List                                            Label List 
   
   If one selects the chemical ingredients tab, skip to Step 4 . If not, proceed to step number 3
   
   
3. To find the active ingredient(s) on the label, search for the page in the document containing the date of registration. Usually, the active ingredients section occurs within the first few pages of the label document.
   
   
4. Return to the Beyond Pesticides Gateway and search for the active ingredient name in the yellow box to the right or from the list below. 
   
   

Updates from the Daily News Blog

As Millions Die from Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Annually, Study Shines Light on Pesticide Connection
July 11, 2025

Hypertension and High Blood Pressure Linked to Pesticide Metabolites in Elderly, According to Research
June 4, 2025

Farmers and Farmworkers Face DNA and Cellular Damage with Chronic Pesticide Exposure, Study Finds
May 29, 2025

On Memorial Day, Remember the Lives Lost and Those Still Fighting the Effects of Military Pesticide Use
May 26, 2025

Golf Courses Linked to Parkinson's Disease and Pesticide Use
May 22, 2025

Fire Hazards and Toxic Combustion of Herbicide Products Increase Threats to Health and Environment
May 21, 2025

Farmers Face Elevated Cancer Risks Tied to Chemical Soup of Pesticide Exposure
May 7, 2025

Literature Reviews Add to Wide Body of Science Connecting Pesticides to Parkinson’s Disease
April 23, 2025

Biodiversity Threatened by Pesticide Drift, Study Finds; Organic Agriculture Cited as a Holistic Solution
January 3, 2025

Study Links Numerous Chemical Families of Pesticides to Endocrine Disrupting Effects, Including Obesity
December 17, 2024

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2,4-D

General Information

• Fact Sheet: 2-4-D.pdf
• Product Names:

  Crossbow (Dow), formulated with Triclopyr, Petroleum distillates
  GlyMIX MT (Dow), formulated with Glyphosate
  Grazon P+D (Dow)
  Pathway (Dow)
  Aqua-Kleen (Nufarm America)
  Barrage (Helena Chemical)
  Malerbane (Aventis)
  Weedone (Nufarm America)
  Weedtrine- II (Nufarm America)

• Chemical Class: Phenoxy herbicide
• Uses: Registered for field, fruit, and vegetable crops, turf, lawns, rights-of-way, aquatic sites, forestry applications, post-emergence broadleaf weeds, plant growth regulator in citrus
• Alternatives: Organic agriculture, Organic Lawn care
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health and Environmental Effects

• Cancer: Yes (4)
• Endocrine Disruption: Probable (5)
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (6)
• Neurotoxicity: Yes (7)
• Kidney/Liver Damage: Yes (7)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (4)
• Birth/Developmental: Yes (4)
• Detected in Groundwater: Yes (4)
• Potential Leacher: Yes (7)
• Toxic to Birds: Yes (4)
• Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Yes (8)
• Toxic to Bees: Yes (4)

Residential Uses as Found in the ManageSafe™ Database

• Dandelions
• Clover
• Ground Ivy
• Plantains
• Japanese Knotweed

Additional Information

• Regulatory Status:
  • Beyond Pesticides' comments on Preliminary Ecological Risk Assessment for Registration review (7/2017)
  • EPA Registration Review (2017)
  • Beyond Pestides' comments on registration of Enlist Duo (12/2016)
  • Registration of Enlist Duo (2014)
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Document (RED) signed (6/2005)
  • Beyond Pesticides' RED comments (8/2004)
• Supporting information:
  • Daily News Blog entries (Beyond Pesticides)
  • Asthma, Children and Pesticides (Beyond Pesticides)
  • Children & Lawn Chemicals Don't Mix (Beyond Pesticides)
  • The Safer Choice (Beyond Pesticides)
  • NCAP 2,4-D Factsheet (Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides)
  • PAN Pesticides Database: 2,4-D (Pesticide Action Network)
• Studies:
  • IARC Monographs evaluate DDT, lindane, and 2,4-D. (2015) 
  • 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-resistant crops and the potential for evolution of 2,4-D-resistant weeds. Egan JF, Maxwell BD, Mortensen DA, et al. 2011. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 108(11): E37.
  • Cancer and pesticides: an overview and some results of the Italian multicenter case-control study on hematolymphopoietic malignancies
    Miligi, L., et al. 2006. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
  • Breast cancer risk in Hispanic agricultural workers in California
    Mills, P.K. and Yang, R. 2005. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health.
  • Lymphohematopoietic cancers in the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), 1988-2001.  Mills PK, Yang R, Riordan D. 2005. Cancer Causes Control.
  • Herbicide exposure and the risk of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in Scottish terriers, Glickman, et. al. 2004. Journal of the American Medical Association.
  • Biomarker correlations of urinary 2,4-D levels in foresters: genomic instability and encodrine disruption. Garry, V.F., et al. 2001. Environ Health Pers.
  • A Case–Control Study of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides Journal of the American Cancer Society, 1999.
  • Pesticides in Household Dust and Soil: Exposure Pathways for Children of Agricultural Families, Simcox, et. al. 1995.Environmental Health Perspectives.
  • Pesticides and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Zahm SH and Blair A. 1992. Cancer Res.
  • A case-control study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in eastern Nebraska.. Zahm, S., et al. 1990. Epidemiology 1(5):349-356
  • A longitudinal study of atrazine and 2,4-D exposure and oxidative stress markers among iowa corn farmers.. Lerro CC, Beane Freeman LE, Portengen L, Kang D, et al. 2017. Environ Mol Mutagen. 58(1):30-38.
  • Agricultural exposures and gastric cancer risk in Hispanic farm workers in California. Mills, P.K., and Yang, R.C. 2007. Environ Res 104(2):282-289.
  • Agricultural herbicide use and a risk of lymphoma and soft-tissue sarcoma.. Hoar, S., et al. 1986. Journal of the American Medical Association 259(9): 1141-1147
  • Biomonitoring data for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the United States and Canada: interpretation in a public health risk assessment context using Biomonitoring Equivalents. Aylward LL et al. 2010. Environ Health Perspect. 118(2):177-81
  • Autism: Transient in utero hypothyroxinemia related to maternal flavonoid ingestion during pregnancy and to other environmental antithyroid agents. Román, G, C. 2007. Journal of the Neurological Sciences; 262(1-2), pp 15-26
  • Birth Malformations and Other Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Four U.S. Wheat-Producing States.. Schreinemachers, D. 2003. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111(9).
  • Cancer and pesticides: an overview and some results of the Italian multicenter case-control study on hematolymphopoietic malignancies. Miligi, L., et al. 2006. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1076:366-377
  • Developmental Toxicity of a Commercial Herbicide Mixture in Mice: I. Effects on Embryo Implantation and Litter Size. Cavieres, M., et al. 2002. Environ Health Perspect 110:1081-1085
  • Pesticides applied to crops and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk in the U.S. Andrew, A., Zhou, J., Gui, J., Harrison, A., Shi, X., Li, M., Guetti, B., Nathan, R., Tischbein, M., Pioro, E.P. and Stommel, E. NeuroToxicology, 87, pp.128-135.
  • Association between increasing agricultural use of 2, 4-D and population biomarkers of exposure: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2014.. Freisthler, M.S., Robbins, C.R., Benbrook, C.M., Young, H.A., Haas, D.M., Winchester, P.D. and Perry, M.J. Environmental Health, 21(1), pp.1-11.
  • Association between increasing agricultural use of 2,4-D and population biomarkers of exposure: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2014. Freisthler, M.S., Robbins, C.R., Benbrook, C.M., Young, H.A., Haas, D.M., Winchester, P.D. and Perry, M.J. Environmental Health, 21(1), pp.1-11.
  • Amine Volatilization from Herbicide Salts: Implications for Herbicide Formulations and Atmospheric Chemistry. Sharkey, S.M., Hartig, A.M., Dang, A.J., Chatterjee, A., Williams, B.J. and Parker, K.M., 2022. Environmental Science & Technology.
  • Assessment of the impact of glyphosate and 2,4-D herbicides on the kidney injury and transcriptome changes in obese mice fed a Western diet.. Romualdo, G.R., de Souza, J.L.H., Valente, L.C. and Barbisan, L.F., 2023. Toxicology Letters, 385, pp.1-11.
  • Dicamba and 2,4-D in the Urine of Pregnant Women in the Midwest: Comparison of Two Cohorts (2010–2012 vs. 2020–2022). Daggy, J.K. et al. (2024) Dicamba and 2,4-D in the urine of pregnant women in the Midwest: Comparison of two cohorts (2010–2012 vs. 2020–2022), Agrochemicals. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-3145/3/1/5.
  • A Comprehensive Review on Pesticide Residues in Human Urine. Hakme, E., Poulsen, M. and Lassen, A. (2024) A Comprehensive Review on Pesticide Residues in Human Urine, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Available at: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.4c02705.
  • Exposures of 129 Preschool Children to Organochlorines, Organophosphates, Pyrethroids, and Acid Herbicides at Their Homes and Daycares in North Carolina. Morgan, M.K., Wilson, N.K. and Chuang, J.C. (2014) Exposures of 129 Preschool Children to Organochlorines, Organophosphates, Pyrethroids, and Acid Herbicides at Their Homes and Daycares in North Carolina, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4025031/.
  • Respiratory and allergic outcomes among 5-year-old children exposed to pesticides. Islam, J.Y. et al. (2023) Respiratory and allergic outcomes among 5-year-old children exposed to pesticides, Thorax. Available at: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/78/1/41.abstract.
  • Glyphosate formulations cause mortality and diverse sublethal defects during embryonic development of the amphibian Xenopus laevis. Flach, H. et al. (2024) Glyphosate formulations cause mortality and diverse sublethal defects during embryonic development of the amphibian Xenopus laevis, Chemosphere. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653524025244.
  • Common use herbicides increase wetland greenhouse gas emissions. Cornish, C.M. et al. (2024) Common use herbicides increase wetland greenhouse gas emissions, Science of The Total Environment. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724030286.
  • Pesticides and prostate cancer incidence and mortality: An environment-wide association study. Soerensen, S. et al. (2024) Pesticides and prostate cancer incidence and mortality: An environment-wide association study, Cancer. Available at: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.35572.
  • Impact of Endocrine Disrupting Pesticide Use on Obesity: A Systematic Review. Pérez-Bermejo, M. et al. (2024) Impact of Endocrine Disrupting Pesticide Use on Obesity: A Systematic Review, Biomedicines. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/12/2677.
  • Beyond the field: How pesticide drift endangers biodiversity. Albaseer, S. et al. (2024) Beyond the field: How pesticide drift endangers biodiversity, Environmental Pollution. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749124022437.
  • Response of Wine Grape Cultivars to Simulated Drift Rates of 2,4-D, Dicamba, and Glyphosate, and 2,4-D or Dicamba Plus Glyphosate. Mohseni-Moghadam, M. et al. (2017) Response of Wine Grape Cultivars to Simulated Drift Rates of 2,4-D, Dicamba, and Glyphosate, and 2,4-D or Dicamba Plus Glyphosate, Weed Technology. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/weed-technology/article/response-of-wine-grape-cultivars-to-simulated-drift-rates-of-24d-dicamba-and-glyphosate-and-24d-or-dicamba-plus-glyphosate/1BAD9A48DD98F8896E56C6823A2EE4A4.
  • Immune response of Brazilian farmers exposed to multiple pesticides . Jacobsen-Pereira, C.H. et al. (2020) ‘Immune response of Brazilian farmers exposed to multiple pesticides’, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 202, p. 110912. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110912.
  • Brief research report pesticide occupational exposure leads to significant inflammatory changes in normal mammary breast tissue . da Silva, R.G. et al. (2023) ‘Brief research report pesticide occupational exposure leads to significant inflammatory changes in normal mammary breast tissue’, Frontiers in Public Health, 11. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1229422.
  • Pesticide-Induced Inflammation at a Glance. Lopes-Ferreira, M. et al. (2023) ‘Pesticide-induced inflammation at a glance’, Toxics, 11(11), p. 896. doi:10.3390/toxics11110896.
  • Genotoxicity evaluation of 2,4-D, dicamba and glyphosate alone or in combination with cell reporter assays for DNA damage, oxidative stress and unfolded protein response . Mesnage, R. et al. (2021) ‘Genotoxicity evaluation of 2,4-D, dicamba and glyphosate alone or in combination with cell reporter assays for DNA damage, oxidative stress and unfolded protein response’, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 157, p. 112601. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2021.112601.
  • Evidence of the Toxic Potentials of Agrochemicals on Human Health and Biodiversity: Carcinogens and Mutagens. Yarkwan, B., Isaac, T.O., Okopi, A., Izah, S.C. (2024). Evidence of the Toxic Potentials of Agrochemicals on Human Health and Biodiversity: Carcinogens and Mutagens. In: Ogwu, M.C., Izah, S.C., Ntuli, N.R. (eds) Food Safety and Quality in the Global South. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2428-4_11
  • Recent pesticide exposure affects sleep: A cross-sectional study among smallholder farmers in Uganda. Samuel Fuhrimann, Iris van den Brenk, Aggrey Atuhaire, Ruth Mubeezi, Philipp Staudacher, Anke Huss, Hans Kromhout, Recent pesticide exposure affects sleep: A cross-sectional study among smallholder farmers in Uganda, Environment International, Volume 158, 2022, 106878, ISSN 0160-4120, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106878. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021005031)
  • Co-exposure to environmental microplastic and the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) induce distinctive alterations in the metabolome and microbial community structure in the gut of the earthworm Eisenia andrei. Boughattas, I., Vaccari, F., Zhang, L., Bandini, F., Miras-Moreno, B., Missawi, O., Hattab, S., Mkhinini, M., Lucini, L., Puglisi, E., & Banni, M. (2024). Co-exposure to environmental microplastic and the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) induce distinctive alterations in the metabolome and microbial community structure in the gut of the earthworm Eisenia andrei. Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 344, 123213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123213
  • 2,4-D-based herbicide underdoses cause mortality, malformations, and nuclear abnormalities in Physalaemus cuvieri tadpoles. Santos, G. D., Rutkoski, C. F., Folador, A., Skovronski, V. J., Müller, C., Pompermaier, A., Hartmann, P. A., & Hartmann, M. (2024). 2,4-D-based herbicide underdoses cause mortality, malformations, and nuclear abnormalities in Physalaemus cuvieri tadpoles. Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology : CBP, 277, 109840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109840
  • Meta-analytical review of antioxidant mechanisms responses in animals exposed to herbicide 2,4-D herbicide. da Silva, A. P., Poquioma Hernández, H. V., Comelli, C. L., Guillén Portugal, M. A., Moreira Delavy, F., de Souza, T. L., de Oliveira, E. C., de Oliveira-Ribeiro, C. A., Silva de Assis, H. C., & de Castilhos Ghisi, N. (2024). Meta-analytical review of antioxidant mechanisms responses in animals exposed to herbicide 2,4-D herbicide. The Science of the total environment, 924, 171680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171680
  • A cocktail of contaminants: how mixtures of pesticides at low concentrations affect aquatic communities. Relyea R. A. (2009). A cocktail of contaminants: how mixtures of pesticides at low concentrations affect aquatic communities. Oecologia, 159(2), 363–376. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-008-1213-9
  • Pesticide use and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma: results from the North American Pooled Project (NAPP). Latifovic, L., Freeman, L. E. B., Spinelli, J. J., Pahwa, M., Kachuri, L., Blair, A., Cantor, K. P., Zahm, S. H., Weisenburger, D. D., McLaughlin, J. R., Dosman, J. A., Pahwa, P., Koutros, S., Demers, P. A., & Harris, S. A. (2020). Pesticide use and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma: results from the North American Pooled Project (NAPP). Cancer causes & control : CCC, 31(6), 583–599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01301-4
  • Pesticide contamination in indoor home dust: A pilot study of non-occupational exposure in Argentina. Aparicio, Virginia & Kaseker, Jessica & Scheepers, Paul & Alaoui, Abdallah & Figueiredo, Daniel & Mol, H. & Silva, Vera & Harkes, Paula & dos Santos, Danilo & Geissen, Violette & Costa, José. (2025). Pesticide Contamination in Indoor Home Dust: A Pilot Study of Non-Occupational Exposure in Argentina. Environmental Pollution. 373. 126208. 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126208.
  • Pesticide Use and Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length in the Agricultural Health Study. Andreotti G, Hoppin JA, Hou L, Koutros S, Gadalla SM, et al. (2015) Pesticide Use and Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length in the Agricultural Health Study. PLOS ONE 10(7): e0133382. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133382
  • Assessing fire hazards of herbicides: Identifying toxic emissions from pesticide combustion. Przybysz, J. et al. (2025) Assessing fire hazards of herbicides: Identifying toxic emissions from pesticide combustion, Science of The Total Environment. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725011829.
  • Review and Analysis: Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Herbicide Use Studies Conducted during the Vietnam War and Historical Lessons. Olson, K., Cihacek, L., and Speidel, D. (2025) Review and Analysis: Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Herbicide Use Studies Conducted during the Vietnam War and Historical Lessons, Open Journal of Soil Science. Available at: https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=140334.
  • Long-Term Fate of Agent Orange and Dioxin TCDD Contaminated Soils and Sediments in Vietnam Hotspots. Olson, K. and Morton, L. (2019) Long-Term Fate of Agent Orange and Dioxin TCDD Contaminated Soils and Sediments in Vietnam Hotspots. Open Journal of Soil Science, 9, 1-34. doi: 10.4236/ojss.2019.91001.
  • How did the Passaic River, a Superfund site near Newark, New Jersey, become an Agent Orange dioxin TCDD hotspot?. Olson, K. R. and Tharp, M. (2020) ‘How did the Passaic River, a Superfund site near Newark, New Jersey, become an Agent Orange dioxin TCDD hotspot?’, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 75(2), pp. 33A-37A. doi: 10.2489/jswc.75.2.33A.
  • Use of Agent Purple, Agent Orange and Agent Blue on Royal Thai Air Force Base Perimeters in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Olson, K. and Cihacek, L. (2023) Use of Agent Purple, Agent Orange and Agent Blue on Royal Thai Air Force Base Perimeters in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Open Journal of Soil Science, 13, 233-261. doi: 10.4236/ojss.2023.135010.
  • Assessment of genetic damage levels in agricultural workers exposed to pesticides in Paraíba, Brazil. Carvalho-Gonçalves, L. et al. (2025) Assessment of genetic damage levels in agricultural workers exposed to pesticides in Paraíba, Brazil, Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1382668925000900.
  • Recent trends in pesticides in crops: A critical review of the duality of risks-benefits and the Brazilian legislation issue. Souza, M. C. O., Cruz, J. C., Cesila, C. A., Gonzalez, N., Rocha, B. A., Adeyemi, J. A., Nadal, M., Domingo, J. L., & Barbosa, F. (2023). Recent trends in pesticides in crops: A critical review of the duality of risks-benefits and the Brazilian legislation issue. Environmental research, 228, 115811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115811
  • Stage-dependent toxicity of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic on the embryonic development of a South American toad, Rhinella arenarum. Aronzon, C.M., Sandoval, M.T., Herkovits, J. and Pérez-Coll, C.S. (2011), Stage-dependent toxicity of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic on the embryonic development of a South American toad, Rhinella arenarum. Environ. Toxicol., 26: 373-381. https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.20564
  • Association of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticide metabolites and phenoxyacid herbicides with blood pressure and hypertension among older adults. Huang, Qinxin & Song, Shaofang & Deng, Fenfang & He, Jia & Yuan, Jun & Tan, Lei. (2025). Association of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticide metabolites and phenoxyacid herbicides with blood pressure and hypertension among older adults. Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology. 7. 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.05.017.
  • Off-target pesticide movement: a review of our current understanding of drift due to inversions and secondary movement. Bish M, Oseland E, Bradley K. Off-target pesticide movement: a review of our current understanding of drift due to inversions and secondary movement. Weed Technology. 2021;35(3):345-356. doi:10.1017/wet.2020.138