In an effort to tackle the growing crisis of microplastic pollution, Leaving Cert student 18-year-old Arya Satheesh has been named as the European Winner of The Earth Prize 2026.

Satheesh’s solution, Eco Purge, is a biodegradable plastic that breaks down safely, while releasing catalysts that help actually remove existing microplastics from the environment. 

Helping clean up tiny plastic particles

While most solutions focus on reducing plastic use, Eco Purge goes a step further by helping clean up the tiny plastic particles that are already polluting oceans, soil, and even our food and water.

Satheesh was inspired by an earlier project monitoring water quality, which revealed a key problem: microplastics could be detected, but not removed. Wanting to solve this, she explored how plastics break down and developed a plant-based plastic that can carry special enzymes.

Leaving Cert student 18-year-old Arya Satheesh.

By embedding these enzymes inside the material, they remain stable and are released gradually as the plastic degrades, allowing them to continue breaking down microplastics in different environments like water, soil, and compost.

Now developed into a working prototype, Eco Purge has already collaborated with researchers at Irish universities UCD Dublin and ATU Letterkenny, as well as BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre. With support from the Earth Prize, Satheesh plans to scale the solution for real-world use in products like packaging and compost bags, making it easier to tackle microplastic pollution on a larger scale.

Satheesh said: “Plastic pollution doesn’t just disappear, it breaks into tiny pieces that stay in our environment. I wanted to create something that could help tackle that problem directly. Eco Purge is designed to both replace plastic and help remove existing microplastics, and this is just the beginning, and I hope it can become a scalable solution that makes a real difference.”

Reached more than 21,000 students across 169 countries and territories

Now in its fifth year, the Earth Prize has reached more than 21,000 students across 169 countries and territories. Previous winners have been featured in leading international media including Forbes, Business Insider (US and Africa), The Irish Times, and UN Today, with several teams advancing their ideas through patents and corporate partnerships.

The Earth Prize is run by the Earth Foundation, a non-profit based in Geneva, Switzerland, founded during the School Strike for Climate in 2019. At a time when climate anxiety affects a majority of young people – 59% reporting they are very or extremely worried about the environment – the prize provides a pathway from concern to action, equipping students with the tools to develop tangible, real-world solution

Peter McGarry, founder of the Earth Foundation, said: “The Earth Prize winners 2026 represent seven outstanding teams across seven global regions, each tackling environmental challenges with distinct and impactful solutions. Once again, these young innovators demonstrate that age is no barrier to meaningful change. Their work reflects a powerful combination of creativity, determination and a deep understanding of the communities they serve.”