Washington teenager wins $75,000 after creating sponge to trap salmon-killing tyre pollutant

Lakshmi Agrawal (Image Credit: Society for Science) An 18-year-old student from Bellevue, Washington, has turned an agricultural waste product into a promising solution for one of the Pacific Northwest's most pressing environmental challenges. According to the Society for Science, Lakshmi Agrawal won the $75,000 Regeneron Young Scientist Award at the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) after developing a biodegradable sponge made from jute plant waste that removes a toxic tyre-related pollutant responsible for killing salmon in urban waterways. Her innovation stood out among more than 1,700 student researchers from around the world earning recognition for its potential to protect aquatic ecosystems while offering a low-cost and sustainable alternative to existing filtration methods.A biodegradable solution to a growing pollution problemThe project aims to tackle pollution arising from 6PPD-quinone, a pollutant resulting from the reaction of 6PPD, a preservative usually used in vehicle tires, with ozone in the air. During rainfall, the compound comes off the road surfaces and ends up in rivers and streams via stormwater. Studies have identified 6PPD-quin...