EPA Reviews Google Plan to Release Millions of Sterile Mosquitoes in 3 States

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 12

Google’s Debug project has asked the EPA for an experimental permit to release sterile male mosquitoes in New Jersey, California and Florida to test whether they can suppress wild populations.
The plan uses male mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia pipientis, a bacterium that makes matings with wild females produce eggs that do not hatch, gradually shrinking disease-carrying mosquito populations.
Debug says it would rely on sensors, algorithms and automation to sort and release males at scale, because accidental female releases would undermine both safety claims and public trust.
The proposal is drawing scrutiny because it would put a private tech company into local ecosystem management, even as supporters argue the method could reduce reliance on pesticides and help curb diseases such as dengue, Zika and West Nile.