Rohm and Haas awarded $1.93M contract from ESTCP for perchlorate removal systems

PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 2006 -- Rohm and Haas Company announced June 12 it has been awarded a $1.93 million contract from the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) to conduct full-scale demonstrations of an innovative perchlorate-removal technology at three host utility sites in California.

The technology uses Rohm and Haas' highly perchlorate-selective Amberlite™ PWA2 ion exchange resins, in conjunction with a single-vessel design that is based on its AMBERPACK™ vessel system. Host utility sites for the ESTCP contract are the city of Rialto, the city of Colton and the West Valley Water District -- all proximate to the San Bernardino, CA, region. The demonstration period is slated to run for nine to 12 months and is expected to reduce treatment costs by as much as 25%.

"This is a significant contract for Rohm and Haas that demonstrates our innovation and leadership in water treatment," said Carol Eicher, Vice President and Business Director for Process Chemicals at Rohm and Haas. "For well over half a century, we have been providing premium and proven ion exchange resin products. By employing our highly selective Amberlite™ PWA2 ion exchange resin in an optimized vessel system that we helped design, we're delivering a cost-effective solution to meet our customers' needs."

Rohm and Haas is the world's largest producer of ion exchange resins, and has been a leader in the technology development for more than 60 years. Water treatment is one of the company's major markets (~$500 million in annual sales), and includes water softeners for home water conditioning, production of ultrapure water for power generation, semiconductor manufacturing and pharmaceuticals; and selective removal of contaminants from impaired drinking water sources. Rohm and Haas has a portfolio of commercially available products for removal of contaminants from potable water. Contaminants targeted by Rohm and Haas selective removal media include nitrate, perchlorate, arsenic, boron, radium, uranium, mercury, chromate, and other heavy metals and organics. A recent advancement is a proprietary technology to remove arsenic from drinking water sources, which is currently being explored for widespread implementation in developing nations such as India and Bangladesh.

Ion exchange resins are bead-like materials specially formulated to remove contaminants from water. Conventional systems used in groundwater treatment typically rely on two vessels designed for use with activated carbon -- one used as a working bed, and the other as a polishing bed. Water flows down through the ion exchange resin to remove contaminants. Weeks and months of down-flow operation can compact the beds and the vessel design pushes underutilized resin to the bottom, which reduces the resin's overall effectiveness and necessitates premature and complete replacement of the expensive material.

The Rohm and Haas AMBERPACK™ system's single-vessel, up-flow design reduces compaction of the ion exchange resins and improves water distribution, collection and flow; maximizes utilization and effectiveness of the resins; and enables partial replenishment of ion exchange resin. This enhanced efficiency of the ion exchange resins and low-profile single vessel design reduces both capital and operating expenses for the user. Amberlite™ PWA2 ion exchange resins were specifically developed to remove low levels of perchlorate (less than 500 parts per billion) from drinking water.

Perchlorate has been identified as a contaminant in water sources since the mid- 1990s. Its origin can be primarily linked to man-made activities associated with the use and manufacture of munitions, rocket propellants, flares, and fireworks. There are concerns that routine human consumption of drinking water with excessive levels of perchlorate can create health risks.
The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) is a Department of Defense (DoD) program that promotes innovative and cost-effective environmental technologies through demonstration and validation at DoD sites. These technologies deliver a return on investment through cost savings, improved efficiency and reduction of environmental risks.

Leading the way since 1909, Rohm and Haas (www.rohmhaas.com) is a global pioneer in the creation and development of innovative technologies and solutions for the specialty materials industry. The company's technologies are found in a wide range of markets including: Building and Construction, Electronics, Food and Retail, Household and Personal Care, Industrial Process, Packaging, Paper, Transportation and Water. Our innovative technologies and solutions help to improve life everyday, around the world. Based in Philadelphia, PA, the company generated annual sales of approximately $8 billion in 2005.

Also see: "Rohm and Haas announces a worldwide price increase of ion exchange resins"

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