Hando Choi, president of Star’s Tech, is leading the charge in revolutionizing winter maintenance with ECO-ST, a groundbreaking de-icing product made from starfish skeletons. In a recent interview, Choi discussed how this innovative solution is not only effective in melting ice faster than traditional rock salt but also significantly reduces chloride pollution that causes extensive damage to infrastructure.
The inspiration for ECO-ST came from an unlikely source – the Northern Pacific sea star, an invasive species wreaking havoc on shellfish aquaculture in Korean waters. To combat this problem, the Korean government collects thousands of tons of these starfish annually. Star’s Tech saw an opportunity to upcycle a portion of this material by extracting the calcium carbonate structures from starfish skeletons, which have a unique ability to store and release chloride.
What started as a high school science project for founder Seungchan Yang evolved into a game-changing technology that addresses the negative impacts of conventional de-icers. By leveraging natural pore structures to control ion release, ECO-ST offers a sustainable alternative to traditional de-icing methods.
While the upfront cost of ECO-ST may be higher compared to commodity rock salt, the long-term benefits are undeniable. According to the Isaac Walton League of America, the damage caused by road salt can range from $30 to $300 per ton used. Stars Tech’s simulations based on U.S. municipal data show that ECO-ST can deliver up to a 5,000% return on investment over time, thanks to lower infrastructure maintenance costs, fewer reapplications, and compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.
ECO-ST is now available on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada, with retail partnerships set to launch this winter. For those interested in learning more about Star’s Tech and their groundbreaking de-icing solution, visit their website at starstech.co.
In conclusion, Hando Choi and the team at Star’s Tech are proving that innovation can come from unexpected places. By turning a regional invasive species problem into a global environmental breakthrough, they are paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient approach to winter maintenance.
