Man Works On Edible Roach Killer

If you want to get rid of bugs, but don't want to spray harmful chemicals, what do you do?  If you're Paul Goss, you get busy creating a chemical free bug killer.  The News On 6's Rick Wells reports the ingredients in Goss's new product are not harmful to humans; in fact, the stuff doesn't taste that bad.

Paul Goss is a waiter at Freddie's Bar-B-Q and Steakhouse in Sapulpa.  It's his off-duty project that attracted the attention of The News On 6.

"Insects are pretty rare around my house," said Paul Goss.

Probably because his house and garden have been the testing laboratories for this stuff:  RoachRight and AntRight.  It all started with a kind of ultimatum from his wife.

"My wife said ‘I don't want any poison on this garden,'" said Paul Goss.

So, he went to work to come up with a safe bug killer.

"I'll wake up at night and say, what if...what if I tried that?" said Paul Goss.

He likes to tinker.  The basic ingredient is diatomaceous earth; basically the fossilized remains of a type of hard shelled algae and bugs don't like it.

"Ants, roaches, fleas, ticks, caterpillars, cabbage worms, tomato worms, squash bug.  My father in law told me," said Paul Goss.

The microscopic edges of the diatomaceous earth and the other ingredients eventually dehydrate or suffocate the insects, but it's not harmful to animals or humans.  It is safe enough to eat.

"Yeah, the diatomaceous earth will get all the parasites in your system," said Paul Goss.

And, he says he hasn't found any plants he can't use it on or around.  And, that's not all.  He's working on a scorpion killer that's edible, too.

"That one won't hurt anybody either," said Paul Goss.

He's waiting for the government to give him the OK.  In the meantime, he'll keep on with his primary job:  waiting tables.

AntRight and RoachRight have been test marketed with some success locally.

Goss says he is waiting for the EPA to put its stamp of approval on the products before he begins widespread marketing.