Google has applied for permission to release up to 32 million sterile mosquitoes in parts of the United States as part of efforts to reduce populations of disease-carrying insects responsible for spreading illnesses such as dengue fever, Zika virus and West Nile virus.
According to documents published by US regulators, has asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval to release up to 16 million mosquitoes annually in California and Florida over a two-year period. The proposal is currently under review, with a public comment period expected to close on June 5.
The initiative is being carried out through Google’s “Debug” programme, which focuses on controlling mosquito populations using scientific and technological innovations rather than traditional pesticides.
Under the programme, male mosquitoes are bred with a naturally occurring bacterium known as Wolbachia. When these sterile males mate with wild female mosquitoes, the eggs produced do not hatch, gradually reducing mosquito populations over time.
Researchers note that male mosquitoes do not bite humans or transmit diseases, making them suitable for such population-control efforts.
The project was originally developed under Verily Health, a health technology company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. Google later assumed full control of the programme as part of its broader investment in public health and disease prevention technologies.
Google says the approach offers an alternative to chemical insecticides, which can lose effectiveness over time and may pose environmental concerns. The company is also using artificial intelligence, sensors and automated systems to rear and sort mosquitoes, ensuring only males are released into the environment.
The technology focuses primarily on Aedes aegypti, a mosquito species linked to the spread of dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika virus.
The programme has already been tested in Singapore, where authorities reported significant reductions in Aedes aegypti populations following the release of millions of sterile male mosquitoes. Officials also recorded a decline in dengue cases in areas where the technology was deployed.
Google says the results have encouraged plans for broader expansion, particularly in regions heavily affected by mosquito-borne diseases.
If approved, the California and Florida releases would mark one of the largest mosquito-control experiments undertaken by a technology company in the United States.
