top of page
  • Writer's pictureTom Sam

Why Permethrin treated mosquito nets are not the way forward.

Billions have gone into mosquito nets that have been distributed throughout the world by well meaning NGO’s.




The numbers created by the World health organisation do not lie:


Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable.In 2017, there were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria in 87 countries.The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 435 000 in 2017.


The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2017, the region was home to 92% of malaria cases and 93% of malaria deaths.


Total funding for malaria control and elimination reached an estimated US$ 3.1 billion in 2017. Contributions from governments of endemic countries amounted to US$ 900 million, representing 28% of total funding.




While the approach to fight malaria needs to have a multi-faced approach to really tackle the massive problems Repeltec has a solution that has the potential to lower the risk of malaria and other insect borne diseases.


Currently a big part of the strategy to fight malaria is by distributing mosquito nets treated with Permthrin. This could be a solution but it also carries some problems. The first issue is that a mosquito net is a life invasive solution, the user has to be motivated to actually use the nets. Mosquito nets trap airflow. This would be alright during cooler nights but in a lot of countries where protection is needed the most this is not the case. This causes the end consumers to stop using the mosquito nets as they should be used.



This is where we get to the next problem. The distributed nets end up being used for other purposes, in many cases these treated nets end up being used by local fishermen. Not only is it a complete waste of resources, the permethrin used to treat these nets does not break down in surface water. This toxic pesticides end up in the same ponds that houses the main foodsupply for the local community.



Repeltec coatings are different. Repeltec coatings provide a completely clear treatment that can be applied on almost any surface. It is super fast to apply and usesethyl butylacetylaminopropionate an active ingredient that is non-toxic. Beause of the versitile application our customers are able to apply in the spaces that our customer is looking to reduce insect bites without having to alter lifestyles.




The coating works in two steps. First of all you will have a large reduction of mosquitoes in the treated space. This reduction is the most obvious to see but maybe not the most important part. The moment a mosquito lands on the treated surface the active ingredient works like a sort of flashbang, a sensory overload eliminates the ability of its receptors to find its victom.




Contact us for more information


info@repeltec.com

7 views0 comments
bottom of page