Mozzies in your tyres

International trade in used tyres threatens to give disease-spreading mosquitoes a foothold in Britain. Mosquitoes like the Asian tiger mosquito lay their eggs in piles of tyres awaiting shipment to other countries for recycling. The tiger mosquito, which can carry dengue and West Nile virus, has spread from Asia to New Zealand, Africa, North and South America, and most recently to Europe. The expansion mirrors the huge growth in the used-tyre industry, says Keith Snow, an environmental scientist at the University of East London. He is calling for a national register of British companies involved in the business so that…