Houston, TX - May 22, 2006

The Dow Chemical Company will underscore its commitment to the North American polyethylene pipe market at the 2006 Plastic Pipes XIII Conference (Washington, D.C., October 2-5, 2006) by hosting exhibit space, delivering two technical papers and sponsoring the conference welcoming reception.

As the official sponsor of the welcoming reception on October 2, 2006, Dow will host the more than 500 international delegates expected to attend Plastic Pipes XIII and set in motion a conference program that will offer over 90 technical and business presentations in three and a half days, along with a half day International Interactive Rehabilitation Workshop. Attendees will include plastic pipe end users, designers, engineers, manufacturers and contractors.

Dow will present two technical papers at the conference:

• “PE-RT, The Next Generation of Polyethylene for Industrial Pipes”, by D. Schramm and M.Jeruzal;
• “Performance of Scratched HDPE Pressure Pipe”, by Z.J. Zhou, D. Chang, and A.R. Whetten;

On October 3, 2006, the conference will feature a keynote presentation on water conservation and sustainability by ocean conservationist Jean-Michel Cousteau. This builds upon Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures, an inspirational six-part television series, underwritten by Dow, which began airing on PBS stations across the United States on April 5, 2006.

Advances in polyethylene (PE) materials science, coupled with the momentum of new standards and changing market conditions, are enabling North American pipe producers to broaden the range of water, wastewater and natural gas distribution applications in which they can participate. In North America, Dow has more than 20 years of pipe industry experience and is a recognized materials science leader, leveraging its position as the world’s largest supplier of PE. Dow will showcase its family of CONTINUUM™ Bimodal Polyethylene Resins at Plastic Pipes XIII.

Notes to editors: To seek an interview with a Dow spokesperson at the 2006 Plastics Pipes XIII Conference, please contact Simon Dibb at 978 475 3004 or simon.dibb@porternovelli.com.
About Plastics Pipes XIII: The conference takes place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C, October 2-5, 2006. For more information on the conference including registration and fees, visit www.plasticspipes.com or contact Everett Reed Meetings + Events, LLC at 202-320-3950.

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.

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For Editorial Information:

Simon Dibb
Porter Novelli
(978) 475-3004

Soledad Echagüe
The Dow Chemical Company
(713) 978-2249