Japan's Kansai Paint Develops First EPA-Approved Anti-Mosquito Paint

Japan’s Kansai Paint Group says it has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Kansai Anti-Mosquito Paint, which is designed for interior use and contains a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. The company says the paint has been shown to significantly reduce the presence of mosquitoes in painted areas, contributing to effective mosquito population control and reducing the spread of many mosquito-borne diseases. It is the only anti-mosquito paint that is approved by the EPA, Kansai says.

“Development of the Kansai Anti-Mosquito Paint marks a major milestone, not only for our company, but also for the worldwide effort in fighting the spread of infectious diseases,” Hiroshi Ishino says. “For generations, people all over the world have struggled with mosquito-borne illnesses and the effects they have on families and communities. Kansai is proud to be the first company in the world to develop a safe paint, approved by the EPA, that addresses this challenge in a creative and effective way.”

Contact with the active ingredient in the Kansai paint is said to disable the nervous systems of mosquitos and prevent them from flying and biting. Use of that active ingredient has not shown to be dangerous for humans, either by physical contact or oral ingestion, the company says, and it does not affect the paint’s aesthetic quality. Kansai says the paint, which is approved and available in a variety of attractive colors, provides a smooth, matte finish with superior opacity and whiteness.

“Our testing has showed that the Kansai Anti-Mosquito Paint was able to exterminate on contact more than 90 percent of mosquitoes and is effective for at least two years,” says Kalpana Abe, vice president, Kansai Paint Group. “It will deter various species of mosquitos, which can carry several viruses present in the U.S., including Zika and West Nile.”

Kansai began development of the paint formulation in 2013, and after several years of extensive testing, the application was officially submitted to the EPA in early 2017. Approval was secured in just over 12 months, the company says.

Production of the paint in the U.S. will be led by U.S. Paint, a subsidiary acquired by Kansai in 2016. The product has been available for limited sale around the world and is expected to be available in the U.S. this summer. The EPA approval also is expected to hasten additional approvals abroad.