A Seoul-based company specializing in eco-friendly de-icing additives made from upcycled starfish is expanding into the American market as Winter Storm Hernando highlights the environmental toll of traditional road salt. Star’s Tech, which has dominated South Korea’s sustainable de-icing sector for years, recently obtained certification to sell to U.S. government entities and is negotiating its first pilot program with New Jersey transportation officials.
The timing coincides with a major nor’easter that buried parts of the Northeast under nearly two feet of snow this past weekend, forcing New York City’s Department of Sanitation to deploy thousands of tons of conventional rock salt across roads and highways. According to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the United States applies an estimated 15 to 32 million metric tons of road salt annually, a figure that has roughly doubled since 1975.
Environmental Impact of Road Salt Drives Innovation
Traditional road salt creates cascading environmental problems that extend far beyond winter weather. The runoff corrodes steel bridges, destroys roadside vegetation, and leaches into groundwater and municipal water supplies. Additionally, salt-accelerated freeze-thaw cycles cause concrete to crack, generating potholes that cost municipalities billions annually in infrastructure repairs.
Star’s Tech offers an alternative approach through a proprietary additive derived from processed starfish carcasses. Mixed into conventional road salt at just 2 percent by volume, the compound transforms the salt’s chemical behavior, according to company president and co-founder Hando Choi. The resulting mixture reduces road pavement damage by approximately 90 percent and cuts soil and vegetation damage by about 70 percent, the company claims.
The additive increases material costs by 10 to 30 percent depending on production volume. However, Choi argues this perspective misunderstands de-icing economics, noting that procurement represents the smallest expense in the total value chain.
According to Choi, road salt costs approximately $100 per ton, while usage generates roughly $2,000 per ton in road repairs and maintenance expenses. Even modest reductions in maintenance requirements could generate substantial long-term savings, he said.
Starfish Supply Chain Addresses Ecological Problem
The company’s raw material source addresses a separate environmental challenge. Starfish populations have grown so large in parts of Asia that they threaten marine ecosystems by preying on coral reefs and shellfish. In South Korea, fishermen are legally required to bring accidentally caught starfish to port rather than return them to the sea.
The government then collects and incinerates these carcasses, generating carbon emissions in the process. Star’s Tech intercepts the carcasses before incineration, processes them into its eco-friendly de-icing additive, and pays to remove them from government disposal programs. The company estimates it currently uses only 10 to 20 percent of available starfish supply, providing substantial room for scaling operations.
Should starfish supply become constrained, the underlying technology works equally well with sea urchin shells and oyster shells, both generated as waste by the seafood industry in enormous quantities, according to Choi. The company spent eight years building its position in South Korea before closing a profitable Series C funding round. It now employs approximately 60 full-time staff and operates production facilities in Korea, China, and Canada.
Clear Roads Certification Opens U.S. Market
Breaking into the American market has proven more challenging than anticipated. Star’s Tech recently earned Clear Roads certification, the qualification required to sell de-icing products to U.S. government entities, making it newly eligible to pursue municipal contracts nationwide. The company is currently negotiating a pilot program with the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
According to Choi, each state maintains its own procurement approaches and many officials were previously unaware such materials existed. Cultural factors also play a role, as American municipalities prefer to conduct independent testing rather than rely on international performance data, he noted.
Typical pilot programs involve designating two comparable road sections matched for slope, traffic volume, and climate exposure. Star’s Tech’s product is applied on one section while conventional salt is used on the other, with the same operations team managing both. Results are tracked over a full season for safety performance and melting efficacy, while infrastructure damage is assessed over longer time horizons.
Meanwhile, consumer market challenges differ from government sales. Many products labeled eco-friendly or pet-safe engage in greenwashing, Choi said, noting that safety data sheets often reveal misleading performance claims. The absence of standardized testing guidelines allows products to make unverified assertions about temperature performance and environmental impact.
Winter Storm Hernando, which knocked out power for over 700,000 people and canceled more than 10,000 flights, has focused attention on the enormous logistical apparatus supporting American cities during winter weather. New York’s Department of Sanitation operates a fleet of more than 1,700 spreaders and plows, with annual snow removal budgets running into hundreds of millions of dollars.
The results of Star’s Tech’s New Jersey pilot program will likely determine whether other state transportation departments consider adopting the eco-friendly de-icing additive. The company is also pursuing opportunities in Europe while maintaining offices in Canada and exports to Japan and Mongolia, though no timeline has been announced for broader U.S. market expansion.
