Recently, Arya Satheesh, an 18-year-old Irish student, developed a biodegradable plastic named "Eco Purge." Beyond its own ability to biodegrade, the material releases enzymes that break down PET microplastics already present in the environment.
The idea originated while she was working on a separate research project; she discovered microplastics in water sources but realized there was a lack of simple, feasible methods to remove them. In May 2026, Satheesh won the European regional title of the "Earth Prize," an international competition for youths aged 13 to 19.
How Eco Purge Combats Microplastics
The concept first emerged from a project for SciFest, an Irish student science and technology exhibition. Satheesh had previously created a smart monitoring device to detect contaminants in drinking water. During her research, she realized that simply identifying microplastics did not solve the problem of pollution that had already spread into the environment.
According to *Smithsonian Magazine*, she then began investigating whether biodegradable materials could serve as carriers for enzymes capable of breaking down other plastics.
Eco Purge is plant-based and embedded with specific enzymes. As the material biodegrades, it releases these enzymes into the environment, where they act upon PET microplastics-the type of plastic commonly used for mineral water bottles and various forms of packaging.
It does not merely replace traditional plastics with a biodegradable alternative; the material itself actively participates in breaking down plastic waste already present in the environment. The project was also showcased at the 2026 SciFest National Final-Ireland's science and technology competition for young people. According to the *Donegal Daily*, Satheesh won the Individual Second Prize in the Senior Biological and Ecological Sciences category for her project titled "Eco Purge: A Biodegradable Plastic for Microplastic Degradation via Enzymes."
According to Ireland's national broadcaster, researchers from University College Dublin, Atlantic Technological University, and the BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre assisted in the development of the prototype.
Bringing the Prototype to Market Faces Significant Challenges
Despite its impressive results, Eco Purge remains in the research and development stage. It does not eliminate all types of microplastics; the embedded enzymes target only PET-based plastic residues.
Charles Rolsky, a researcher at the institute, explained to *Smithsonian Magazine* that the enzymes lose activity when released into the open environment. In soil or water, the enzymes become diluted, making it difficult for them to make sufficient contact with the microplastic particles requiring degradation.
Consequently, experts believe that at this stage, the technology is better suited for controlled environments-such as composting facilities-rather than for direct release into open ecosystems like the ocean.
Manufacturing presents another major challenge. Conventional plastic production requires high temperatures, which destroy biological enzymes. Achieving mass production while preserving the material's biological functionality is a key hurdle for the research.
The project requires further experimentation to determine exactly how much microplastic the enzymes can degrade in uncontrolled, real-world environments. Therefore, Eco Purge should be viewed as a promising prototype rather than a mature technology ready for immediate use in environmental remediation.
**Project Wins Award; R&D to Continue**
On May 11, 2026, Arya Satish was named the European regional winner of the 2026 Earth Prize. The competition selects seven regional winners, each receiving a $12,500 prize to further develop their projects. According to Ireland's national broadcaster, Satish plans to use the funds to develop applications for packaging and compostable bags.
She also told *Smithsonian Magazine* that she hopes companies in the packaging, bioplastic, and trash bag industries will adopt this technology within the next five years. However, realizing this depends on achieving breakthroughs in material formulation, enzyme production, and large-scale manufacturing.
