Washington teenager Lakshmi Agrawal made a jute-waste sponge for salmon-killing tyre pollution; after it removed up to 80% in lab tests, she won $75,000

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.

Raccontata datimesofindia.indiatimes.com