Dow Water Solutions News: Bangladesh Water Purification Project Demonstrates Importance of Dow’s “Human Element”

Bangladesh Water Purification Project Demonstrates Importance of Dow’s “Human Element”

United Nations, New York - July 25, 2006

Among the highlights of today’s Blue Planet Run^® water commitment launch at the United Nations was a progress report on a cooperative effort to help bring clean, affordable drinking water to villages and homes in Bangladesh. Originally initiated in Germany by The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) lab technician Christian Paetzold, the objective was to find an effective, and inexpensive, means of removing naturally occurring arsenic – as well as other harmful substances, such as bacteria, viruses and lead – from the drinking water throughout Bangladesh.

Three and a half years later, with the help of many other people and organizations, Dow and Mr. Paetzold are close to their vision of improving the health and safety of millions of people in one of the poorest countries in the world through clean, safe drinking water. As the project nears the implementation stage, it is interesting to recall that it all started with a casual conversation in December of 2002.

“I was talking with University of Karlsruhe Professor Jan Hoinkis," said Paetzold. "He mentioned that he had a student from Bangladesh named Shamim Ahmed Deowan who was interested in using membrane technology to remove arsenic and other substances from drinking water in his country. Bangladesh suffers from unusually high levels of naturally occurring arsenic in its water supply.

Well membrane technology specific to arsenic removal is something that Dow had explored, but it was not a business focus at the time. But I suggested to Professor Hoinkins that Dow could provide the necessary membranes and chemicals if he would supply the laboratory and Mr. Deowan would perform the lab tests. That’s how it all got started."

Membrane Technology for Water Purification

In generic terms, membrane technology is used to separate dissolved or sub-micron sized components from water. Increased demands from industry to conserve water, control pollution and reclaim useful materials from waste streams have made new applications of this technology economically attractive. FilmTec Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, produces membranes that help remove undesirable materials from water, making it safer for consumption.

ADSORBSIA™ GTO™ arsenic removal media from Dow, a granular absorbent, also is used to remove arsenic from water supplies. While ADSORBSIA arsenic removal media is often the best choice for removing arsenic from drinking water, the membrane technology was considered a better fit for the water supply in Bangladesh because water there contains not only arsenic but high levels of other harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses and lead.

From Lab Trials to Global Cooperation

Lab trials with the membrane technology began in the spring of 2003. The tests proved successful and the project grew in scope and support. A second facet of the project was added to address waste water treatment in China for the textile industry. In 2004, the European Union agreed to support the project. Professors from the Institute for Membrane Technology in Italy, the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh and the Jiangsu Polytechnic University in China also joined the project.

In February of this year, the final lab test results were presented at the New Delhi Drinking Water conference by Professor Hoinkis and Mr. Deowan. The results were a success, and membrane technology was selected as the most promising technology for solving this particular drinking water problem.

From Technology to Real World Delivery

"Once we knew the technology would work, we had to find a way to make it available, and practical, to the people of Bangladesh,” said Paetzold. “In many areas of Bangladesh, people don't have electricity, and there are no pipes to bring water into the house. They walk to the local well, which contains contaminated water, and fill small jugs and other containers that they then carry home."

Given the situation, Paetzold realized that he had to find a delivery mechanism that was:

easy to use
easy to repair with local manpower and standard tools
inexpensive
able to operate without electricity or fuel
able to dispose of the rejected arsenic in a safe manner

To solve the problem, Paetzold contacted a long-time Dow customer that manufactures unique, energy-efficient small pumps, such as those used in emergency kits to desalinate water. A new manually-operated pump was quickly developed that incorporates membrane technology to remove arsenic and provide enough clean water to serve 10 to 15 people. Field tests of this technology are currently underway, under the direction of Mr. Deowan, who has returned home to Bangladesh to lead this initiative.

The Human Element

From start to finish, the Bangladesh pure water project demonstrates the importance of the one element that can’t be found in the Periodic Table – the human element. Starting from little more than a professor’s hope, a student’s desire and a Dow lab technician’s wherewithal, a global team of people has come together to apply science to improve the human condition in Bangladesh. As the Blue Planet Run Water commitment gets underway, the rapid progress of the Bangladesh water purification project can help serve as a model of how the passion, leadership and determination of the human element can change the world.

About The Dow Chemical Company

Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of science and technology to improve living daily. The Company offers a broad range of innovative products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $46 billion and employs 42,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.

®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow
^®Dow and the DOW Diamond logo are registered trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company
^®The Blue Planet Run is a registered trademark of the Blue Planet Run Foundation

For Editorial Information:

Eric Grates
The Dow Chemical Company
(989) 636-5391

Anisha Shah
Gibbs & Soell, Inc.
ashah@gibbs-soell.com


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Originally initiated in Germany by The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) lab technician Christian Paetzold, the objective was to find an effective, and inexpensive, means of removing naturally occurring arsenic – as well as other harmful substances, such as bacteria, viruses and lead – from the drinking water throughout Bangladesh. Three and a half years later, with the help of many other people and organizations, Dow and Mr. Paetzold are close to their vision of improving the health and safety of millions of people in one of the poorest countries in the world through clean, safe drinking water. As the project nears the implementation stage, it is interesting to recall that it all started with a casual conversation in December of 2002. “I was talking with University of Karlsruhe Professor Jan Hoinkis," said Paetzold. "He mentioned that he had a student from Bangladesh named Shamim Ahmed Deowan who was interested in using membrane technology to remove arsenic and other substances from drinking water in his country. Bangladesh suffers from unusually high levels of naturally occurring arsenic in its water supply. Well membrane technology specific to arsenic removal is something that Dow had explored, but it was not a business focus at the time. But I suggested to Professor Hoinkins that Dow could provide the necessary membranes and chemicals if he would supply the laboratory and Mr. Deowan would perform the lab tests. That’s how it all got started." Membrane Technology for Water Purification In generic terms, membrane technology is used to separate dissolved or sub-micron sized components from water. Increased demands from industry to conserve water, control pollution and reclaim useful materials from waste streams have made new applications of this technology economically attractive. FilmTec Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, produces membranes that help remove undesirable materials from water, making it safer for consumption. ADSORBSIA™ GTO™ arsenic removal media from Dow, a granular absorbent, also is used to remove arsenic from water supplies. While ADSORBSIA arsenic removal media is often the best choice for removing arsenic from drinking water, the membrane technology was considered a better fit for the water supply in Bangladesh because water there contains not only arsenic but high levels of other harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses and lead. From Lab Trials to Global Cooperation Lab trials with the membrane technology began in the spring of 2003. The tests proved successful and the project grew in scope and support. A second facet of the project was added to address waste water treatment in China for the textile industry. In 2004, the European Union agreed to support the project. Professors from the Institute for Membrane Technology in Italy, the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh and the Jiangsu Polytechnic University in China also joined the project. In February of this year, the final lab test results were presented at the New Delhi Drinking Water conference by Professor Hoinkis and Mr. Deowan. The results were a success, and membrane technology was selected as the most promising technology for solving this particular drinking water problem. From Technology to Real World Delivery "Once we knew the technology would work, we had to find a way to make it available, and practical, to the people of Bangladesh,” said Paetzold. “In many areas of Bangladesh, people don't have electricity, and there are no pipes to bring water into the house. They walk to the local well, which contains contaminated water, and fill small jugs and other containers that they then carry home." Given the situation, Paetzold realized that he had to find a delivery mechanism that was: easy to use easy to repair with local manpower and standard tools inexpensive able to operate without electricity or fuel able to dispose of the rejected arsenic in a safe manner To solve the problem, Paetzold contacted a long-time Dow customer that manufactures unique, energy-efficient small pumps, such as those used in emergency kits to desalinate water. A new manually-operated pump was quickly developed that incorporates membrane technology to remove arsenic and provide enough clean water to serve 10 to 15 people. Field tests of this technology are currently underway, under the direction of Mr. Deowan, who has returned home to Bangladesh to lead this initiative. The Human Element From start to finish, the Bangladesh pure water project demonstrates the importance of the one element that can’t be found in the Periodic Table – the human element. Starting from little more than a professor’s hope, a student’s desire and a Dow lab technician’s wherewithal, a global team of people has come together to apply science to improve the human condition in Bangladesh. As the Blue Planet Run Water commitment gets underway, the rapid progress of the Bangladesh water purification project can help serve as a model of how the passion, leadership and determination of the human element can change the world. About The Dow Chemical Company Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of science and technology to improve living daily. The Company offers a broad range of innovative products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $46 billion and employs 42,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. ®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow ^®Dow and the DOW Diamond logo are registered trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company ^®The Blue Planet Run is a registered trademark of the Blue Planet Run Foundation For Editorial Information: Eric Grates The Dow Chemical Company (989) 636-5391 Anisha Shah Gibbs & Soell, Inc. ashah@gibbs-soell.com
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