CHARLOTTE, NC, May 15, 2008 – On April 22, 2008, the BASF Charlotte Technical Center (CTC) employees celebrated “Earth Day” by planting a tree on the BASF site located on Steele Creek Road and by taking a number of actions that clearly underscore their commitment to creating an eco-efficient and sustainable site.

“We have a real commitment to sustainability,” said Cenan Ozmeral, Group Vice President for the BASF Acrylics and Dispersions business in North America. “Sustainable Development is a pillar of the BASF global business strategy and, as a member of the BASF Sustainable Development leadership team in North America; I have a strong personal interest in preserving our planet for future generations.”

Prior to the celebration, ideas concerning energy and waste reduction were solicited from site personnel. Those who provided an idea were given a $50 gift card for either Home Depot or Lowe's along with a recommendation to use it to improve the sustainability of their homes.

Ideas completed to date include:

• Creation of a Site Sustainability Team;
• Replacement of 260 lamps with energy efficient units that reduce electric consumption by 30 percent;

Ideas being implemented include:

• Lowering of hot water temperature, more frequent inspection of laboratory steam traps;
• Requirement that all chargers (cell phones, etc.) be unplugged when not in use;
• Recommendation that office lights are turned off when an office is unoccupied for an extended period;
• Calibration of all thermostats to reduce site HVAC usage;
• Third party audit of site energy consumption and HVAC usage to determine further energy efficiency opportunities;
• Installation of a walking trail around the site to enable employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle;
• Repair of leaky faucets, addition of water flow restrictions/aerators in sink faucets and adjustment of laboratory techniques to reduce water consumption:
• Use of eco-friendly/sustainable products when remodeling or replacing carpet, flooring, paint, asphalt, etc.);
• Use of Energy Star rated units when replacing site appliances;
• Planting more trees and creating large natural areas around the site which will require less watering and mowing;
• Broadening the site recycling policy to include all paper/cardboard products and recyclable plastics; and
• Setting printer default to double-sided printing to reduce paper usage.

In addition to the many actions already planned, the CTC site is investigating a number of ideas that could hold much potential for further reductions in energy and water use, including:

• Reduction of site natural gas consumption by 25 percent by insulating the roof using BASF polyurethane spray foam and an acrylic sealant.
• Reduction of site water consumption through:
• Capture and use of site rain water and “grey water” (grey water is non-industrial wastewater generated from domestic processes, such as dish washing, laundry and hand washing).
• Use of BASF super absorbent polymer in site landscaping to reduce the need for watering;
• Installation of automatic toilet flushers and automatic sink faucets.
• Further reduction of site electricity needs through the use of:
• Solar panels for water heating and outside lights;
• Automatic light sensors in offices and conference rooms;
• Light tubes to utilize more natural light and change;
• A central computerized HVAC system to improve the room-by-room temperature control.

“Our longer term goal is to apply and obtain a LEED-Existing Buildings certification for CTC,” said Ozermal. “With these actions, I think we’re well on our way there.”

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BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 15,000 employees in North America, and had sales of approximately $16.4 billion in 2007. 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.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from oil and gas to chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals. As a reliable partner, BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges, such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF has more than 95,000 employees and posted sales of almost €58 billion in 2007. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.