BASF grant funds high school student’s Eagle Scout Leadership Project
Rizzuto Elementary School receives new playground walkway

PASADENA, Texas, March 3, 2006 -- BASF recently made a $500 “Helping Make Communities Better” grant to Rizzuto Elementary School that was used to construct a new playground walkway at the school. The walkway was built as part of LaPorte High School student Zach Richburg’s Eagle Scout Leadership Project.

“BASF’s help with this project has been great,” said Richburg. “This contribution helped us purchase the building supplies that made it possible.”

In order to achieve Eagle Scout rank, Richburg was required to plan, develop and provide leadership for a community service project. Since he was a former Rizzuto student, Richburg worked with school officials and chose the walkway project to make the playground more accessible to students. With a team of approximately 12 volunteers, Richburg constructed a non-concrete walkway built with composite decking. The material is virtually maintenance free and rugged enough for daily use by hundreds of students.

Richburg approached BASF to help fund the project because he knew the company was an official “Partner-In-Education” with Rizzuto. As the school’s corporate partner, BASF also assists Rizzuto with various education initiatives such as purchasing equipment and supplies to enrich the science curriculum.

“We are very appreciative of BASF’s willingness to help Rizzuto,” said Lynne Tolles, a counselor at the school. “BASF is truly a partner in every sense of the word with its support and participation. The company certainly upholds our school motto of ‘going above and beyond expectations.’”

“BASF is known as the company that helps make products better and we also have a commitment to helping make the schools and communities in which we do business better,” said John Scott, Operations Manager of BASF's Clear Lake site. "We’re thrilled we could help Zach complete his leadership project and provide our partner school with a safe and durable playground walkway.”

Approximately 30 employees work at BASF’s Clear Lake site, which produces surfactants used in a variety of household products such as soaps and detergents.

BASF - The Chemical Company. We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.®
BASF Corporation, headquartered in New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF employs about 10,000 people in North America and had sales of approximately $11.3 billion in 2005. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

As the world’s leading chemical company, BASF's portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. BASF’s intelligent system solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. In 2005, BASF had approximately 81,000 employees and posted sales of more than $50.4 billion. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA), New York (BF), and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

For more information, contact:
John Scott
BASF
Pasadena, Texas
Tel: (281) 291-2436
E-mail: scottjh@basf.com

Maureen Paukert
BASF
Florham Park, N.J.
Tel: (973)245-6077
E-mail: paukerm@basf.com