New Corn to Plastic Technology Receives Department of Energy Honors

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TO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT EDITORS:

New Corn to Plastic Technology Receives Department of Energy Honors

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, Mar. 14 -/E-Wire/-- Cargill Dow LLC's breakthrough technology, NatureWorks(TM) PLA, made a key addition to its list of industry honors with the presentation of the Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) Technology-of-the-Year award. This honor is awarded annually to a technology that demonstrates the potential for improved energy efficiency along with economic and environmental benefits.

Developed by Cargill Dow, NatureWorks PLA or polylactic acid is a natural-based polymer that can be used for common consumer items such as clothing, cups, food containers, candy wrappers, as well as home and office furnishings. The technology used to create NatureWorks uses annually renewable resources like corn rather than petroleum for its feedstock. By substituting corn for petroleum, NatureWorks uses 20 - 50 percent less fossil resources than conventional plastics. In addition, since the production of PLA recycles the earth's carbon, the PLA system emits less CO2 compared to other petroleum based thermoplastics.

"Being recognized by the Department of Energy speaks to the significance of Cargill Dow and our technology. NatureWorks PLA will not only impact industry but society as a whole,' said Dr. Pat Gruber, vice president and chief technology officer of Cargill Dow. "We are creating a new industrial revolution where renewable resources will replace petroleum in plastics, fibers and all areas of industry.'

Cargill Dow and The Department of Energy (DOE) have an ongoing partnership to further the development of energy savings and biobased product technology. In September 2000, Cargill Dow was granted $2.4 million by the DOE for continued research and development of the company's revolutionary fermentation process for further use of annually renewable resources. This funding was part of two competitive financial assistance programs administered by the DOE supporting a presidential executive order to triple the use of biobased products and bioenergy in the U.S. by 2010.

"The Department of Energy has been a key organization in the development of the technology behind NatureWorks PLA,' Gruber said. "With assistance from this organization, and others, Cargill Dow was able to bring the technology to market sooner.'

The Department of Energy is a leading science and technology agency whose research supports the nation's energy security, national security, environmental quality and contributes to a better quality of life. The department's Office of Industrial Technologies develops and delivers advanced energy efficiency, renewable energy and pollution prevention technologies for application in the U.S. industry in an effort to improve resource efficiency.

Founded in 1997, Cargill Dow LLC is based in Minnetonka, Minn. It is the first company to offer its customers a family of polymers derived entirely from annually renewable resources with the cost and performance necessary to compete with packaging materials and traditional fibers. The company has achieved this breakthrough by applying its unique technology to the processing of natural plant sugars to create a proprietary polylactide polymer (PLA). Future applications of the technology could include use in injection blow molded bottles, foams, emulsions and chemical intermediaries. For more company information, please visit the Cargill Dow Web site at http://www.cargilldow.com.

(TM) Trademark of Cargill Dow LLC

Cargill Dow LLC, Michael O''Brien, 952/742-0523, michael_o''[REDACTED-EMAIL] or Gibbs & Soell Public Relations, Jennifer Gray, 847/519-9150, [REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://www.cargilldow.com

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