Action group ‘Platform Stop Invasive Exoten’ has it on various tire importers, including from Assen. Today, the foundation stood with the Council of State Eye in Oog with spokespersons of the State Secretary for Health (VWS).
There the platform conducts a lawsuit against the ministry. The foundation believes that the NVWA (Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) should take stricter action against the importers of used tires. The regulations would not be sufficiently complied with. For example, tires should not be wet; After all, mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water.
Storage places of imported tires can be breeding grounds for health -threatening tiger mosquitoes, gelkoortsmugs and Asian forest mosquitoes. They can transmit diseases such as dug fever and the Zika virus. According to Wilfred Reinhold chairman of the action group, the NVWA must better ensure that the tires are dry when they enter the Netherlands and are stored dry and covered. Mosquito eggs will otherwise have the opportunity to end up so that the dangerous insects can settle in the Netherlands.
The Stop Invasive Exot platform has ten tire importers on the grain where the NVWA must maintain. These are companies in Assen, Emmeloord, Almere and Lelystad, among others. A few wet tires were found at the company in Emmeloord. The NVWA must impose a fine for that, says Reinhold. The NVWA did not do that.
It would have gone to two tires of a party of 165 pieces. Less than 2 percent, says the NVWA. Then a fine according to the regulator is not reasonable. According to the platform, that standard of 2 percent was invented at the location of the control. “And 2 percent of which?” Asks Reinhold. “We don’t know how much is being introduced.”
According to VWS, strictly checks with tire importers. That happens on the basis of mosquito traps. If there are mosquito larvae in it, that is an indication that there can be mosquitoes. Roof gutters and flower pots are then viewed. The chance that mosquitoes are in it is greater. The mosquito would be fought up to 500 meters around the company. This method would be so effective that the tiger mosquito has not yet settled in the Netherlands.
That in contrast to Belgium and Germany where, according to VWS, the dangerous mosquitoes have been able to settle. The Council of State will rule on the enforcement request in a few weeks.