The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District & Oxitec Announce Launch of Next Phase of Ground-Breaking Project
MEDIA ADVISORY
DATE: 30 June 2022
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District & Oxitec Announce Launch of Next Phase of Ground-Breaking Project
● Following approvals in March 2022 by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in May 2022 from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), the continuation of Oxitec’s partnership with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) launched for the 2022 season the week of May 9th, 2022.
● The project is divided into three pilots (termed B, D and E) and Pilot D is set to launch on or after Thursday, July 7th.
● Demand from Florida Keys residents to participate is high, with a waitlist established for residents to become a host of Oxitec’s mosquito boxes.
Marathon, FL: In a continuation of the FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project, Oxitec and FKMCD announced that a new phase of the project (“Pilot D”) will be initiated on or after July 7th, 2022. This phase of the project will examine single-point releases of Oxitec’s male mosquitoes.
In March of this year the EPA granted an extension of the Experimental Use Permit (EUP) for the continuation of this pilot project. Following this national-level approval, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), reviewed and approved Oxitec’s state-level permit applications.
The 2022 project launched with Pilot B during the week of May 9th, with the placement of Oxitec’s just-add-water mosquito boxes on private property of volunteer residents in three release areas, all on Vaca Key. Untreated comparison sites are monitored with mosquito traps on Key Colony Beach and Vaca Key.
Pilot D of the 2022 project will launch on or after Thursday, July 7th with the placement of Oxitec’s just-add-water mosquito boxes on private property of volunteer residents in three release areas: Vaca Key, Fat Deer Key and Grassy Key. Untreated comparison sites will be monitored with mosquito traps on Vaca Key, Colony Beach, Duck Key and Conch Key.
For the first part of this pilot project in 2021, Oxitec released under five million male, non-biting mosquitoes. The maximum number of non-biting male Oxitec mosquitoes released during the entire 2022 project is expected to be fewer than seven million.
Oxitec’s safe, sustainable and targeted biological pest control technology is harmless to beneficial insects like bees and butterflies and is proven to control the disease transmitting Aedes aegypti mosquito, which has invaded communities in Florida and beyond.
FKMCD and Oxitec hosted their 16th Public Educational Webinar on Tuesday, April 5th entitled “Takeaways from 2021, Planning for 2022”; their 17th Public Educational Webinar on Wednesday, May 25th entitled “The 2022 FKMCD – Oxitec Mosquito Project at Launch” and their 18th Public Educational Webinar on Tuesday, June 28th entitled “Mosquitos & Public Health”. The webinars are available to watch on keysmosquitoproject.com/resources.
**ENDS**
FKMCD – Oxitec Mosquito Project Information:
florida@oxitec.com; questions@keysmosquito.org
+1-888-308-1859
Press Inquiries:
Florida Keys Mosquito Control District
Chad Huff, Public Education & Information Officer
O: 305-292-7190
C: 305-481-2207
Oxitec
+1-202-792-3080
Additional resources:
● The U.S. EPA’s approval of and complete risk assessment of the pilot project;
● The U.S. EPA’s responses to public comments;
● 100+ independent peer-reviewed scientific publications on Oxitec technology;
● Oxitec’s announcement of pilot results in Brazil;
● The FKMCD – Oxitec Mosquito Project website.
About Oxitec
Oxitec is the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock. Founded in 2002 at the University of Oxford, Oxitec is led by a passionate team comprised of 15 nationalities and is supported by world-class public, private and non-profit partners.
Learn more at oxitec.com.