Starfish‑Powered Roads: A Cleaner Winter Idea

South Korean company STAR’s Tech has invented a product called Starcrush that uses crushed starfish skeletons to help keep roads safer and less damaging. The tiny holes in the skeleton let it control how salt releases into water, cutting concrete damage by up to 90 percent and improving snow melt by about two‑thirds. Even a small amount of the material makes a difference. Early trials and official road‑material tests show the additive works well. In 2025, a national research group that checks road products named STAR’s Tech the best on its list. The company is 89 percent less corrosive than ordinary road salt, according to the group’s lead. While no one said it was the most unusual product, the results are impressive. The main problem this additive tackles is chloride, the part of salt that runs off roads into streams. The Environmental Protection Agency limits how much chloride can enter waterways because it hurts fish and insects. High chloride levels can stop fish from growing or even kill them quickly. Storm drains often carry road salt straight into rivers during snowmelt, so reducing chloride release is important.STAR’s Tech says its starfish skeletons help stop that runoff. The CEO, Seungchan Yang, explained that the material slows corrosion dramatically. Starfish are common in Korean waters and can be a nuisance to fishermen, who cannot release them back into the sea. Traditionally, the government burns these creatures, which pollutes the air. Using them as a road additive gives the fish a second life. It also saves money on road repairs and cuts greenhouse‑gas emissions, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce. The company estimates it can reduce emissions by more than 22, 000 tons a year—about the same as driving over five thousand cars for one year. Other places are testing or using the product, including Quebec, Mongolia and at least one state in New England. However, Massachusetts has not yet adopted it. A MassDOT spokesman said the department is always looking at new materials, but no response has come from STAR’s Tech so far. If the state stays hesitant, the company offers alternatives. The same technology can be made from sea urchin shells, which Japan has in abundance. This shows the idea could work with different marine by‑products.