What if the solution to winter's infrastructure corrosion and environmentally benign home sidewalk de-icing was an invasive starfish being thrown back into Korea's coastal waters? Hando Choi, president of Star's Tech, joins the conversation to explain how one region's invasive species problem can become another's environmental breakthrough. The company developed ECO-ST, a de-icing product made from starfish skeletons that not only melts ice faster than conventional rock salt but also reduces the chloride pollution that causes billions of dollars in damage to roads, bridges, and vehicles every winter.
Meanwhile, in Korean waters, the Northern Pacific sea star has become such a menace to shellfish aquaculture that the government purchases 3,000 to 4,000 tons annually to control populations. Stars Tech upcycles about 10% of that collected material, extracting the porous calcium carbonate structures that give starfish their shape and their remarkable ability to store and release chloride. The technology began as a high school science project when founder and chief scientist Seungchan Yang experimented with natural pore structures to control ion release, eventually connecting that research to the negative impacts of conventional deicers while studying at Seoul National University.
The economic case is compelling once you factor in the full cost of ownership. While ECO-ST runs $465 to $650 per ton compared to $100 to $150 for commodity rock salt, salt itself accounts for less than 5% of most winter maintenance budgets. The Isaac Walton League of America estimates that infrastructure damage from road salt ranges from $30 to $300 per ton used. Stars Tech's simulations based on U.S. municipal data show ECO-ST can deliver up to 5,000% ROI over time when lower infrastructure maintenance costs, fewer reapplications, and ESG compliance benefits are factored in.
ECO-ST is available on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada, with retail partnerships launching this winter. You can learn more about Stars Tech at starstech.co.
- Subscribe to Sustainability In Your Ear on iTunes
- Follow Sustainability In Your Ear on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, or YouTube
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.