GENEVA, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) (NYSE: DOW) and Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. (Fuji Xerox), a joint venture between Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) and FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, have joined the Eco-Patent Commons, a first-of-a-kind business effort coordinated by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to help the environment by pledging environmentally beneficial patents to the public domain.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

The newly pledged patents include:

-- A technology developed by Dow to enable more efficient production of olefins by reducing energy and material consumption in the process. Olefins are basic building blocks for many materials used in packaging, electronics, adhesives, and durable goods, among other applications. These patents offer several advantages over existing technology that make olefin production more efficient - including increased catalyst lifetimes, and less increase in pressure drop over time in the reactor, which reduces the frequency of catalyst replacement.

-- Wastewater treatment method developed by Fuji Xerox.

"We are delighted to welcome The Dow Chemical Company and Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. to the Eco-Patent Commons," said the WBCSD's President, Bjorn Stigson. "By making available their patents in this way, by sharing the results of their investment in research and development, companies are showing real leadership in sustainable development. Eco-Patent Commons continues to grow, and added together, the available patents make up a valuable resource for those individuals and companies working in areas such as energy efficiency, water treatment and waste reduction."

Pledged patents by Dow

The two patents describe catalysts comprising a pre-shaped porous support material with an active compound for the preparation of and use in the dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons.

Dehydrogenation of compounds like hydrocarbons is a widely used and large scale process. Examples include: the dehydrogenation of alkanes to alkenes, such as propane to propene and butane to butene, and the dehydrogenation of alkyl-aromatic hydrocarbons to alkenyl-aromatic hydrocarbons, such as from ethylbenzene to styrene.

Pledged patents by Fuji Xerox

Fuji Xerox pledged two patents that effectively treat wastewater. The wastewater treatment processes enable efficient treatment of wastewater discharged from factories by coagulation and separation of specific chemical substances in wastewater utilizing Polysilicato-Iron or separating surfactant, and reduce quantities of the coagulant and the resulted sludge without harming the environment.

Xerox pledges an additional patent

Xerox Corporation became a member of the Eco-Patent Commons last year and at the time pledged eleven patents that cover a process that cuts the time it takes to remove toxic waste from soil and water from years to months. Today the company pledged an additional patent that covers technology that makes magnetic refrigeration less harmful to the environment. Xerox's US Patent 5,641,424 describes how to make and apply a magnetized solution in magnetic refrigeration that eliminates the need for ozone depleting refrigerants and energy-consuming compressors. Conventional magnetic refrigeration processes often use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), chemicals that have a considerable greenhouse effect.

Since the launch of the Eco-Patent Commons in January 2008 by IBM, Nokia, Pitney Bowes and Sony in partnership with the WBCSD, eleven companies representing a variety of industries worldwide have publicly shared innovation through Eco-Patent Commons to help contribute in areas such as energy efficiency and conservation, waste reduction and recycling: Bosch, Dow, DuPont, Fuji Xerox, IBM (NYSE: IBM), Nokia, Pitney Bowes, Ricoh, Sony, Taisei and Xerox.

Membership in the Eco-Patent Commons is open to all individuals and companies willing to pledge their patents. The selection and submission of each organization's patents for pledging is at the organization's discretion. Member companies and the WBCSD invite other interested companies to become members of the Eco-Patent Commons and participate in this initiative promoting innovation and collaboration to help protect the planet.

The pledged portfolio and the instructions on how to become a member are available on a dedicated, public Web site hosted by the WBCSD at http://www.wbcsd.org/web/epc.

About The Dow Chemical Company

Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to customers in approximately 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. In 2008, Dow had annual sales of $57.5 billion and employed approximately 46,000 people worldwide. The Company has 150 manufacturing sites in 35 countries and produces approximately 3,300 products. On April 1, 2009, Dow acquired Rohm and Haas Company, a global specialty materials company with sales of $10 billion in 2008, 98 manufacturing sites in 30 countries and approximately 15,000 employees worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

About Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., a 75/25 joint venture between FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation and Xerox Corporation, is a leading provider of document management systems throughout Japan and Asia Pacific regions and designs and manufactures multifunction devices and color printing systems for Xerox worldwide. Fuji Xerox provides business solutions by enhancing the management and utilization of documents, from analog and digital data to graphics and movies, aimed at increasing business and corporate quality through the creation and circulation of knowledge. Fuji Xerox's operations include the office products, office printers, production services and Global Services businesses.

For more information, please visit: www.fujixerox.com

About Xerox Corporation

Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Xerox Corporation's 54,000 people represent the world's leading document management, technology and services enterprise, providing the industry's broadest portfolio of color and black-and-white document processing systems and related supplies, as well as document management consulting and outsourcing services. http://www.xerox.com.

About the World Business Council for Sustainable Development

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development brings together some 200 international companies in a shared commitment to sustainable development through economic growth, ecological balance and social progress. Members are drawn from more than 30 countries and 20 major industrial sectors. The WBCSD also benefits from a global network of about 60 national and regional business councils and partner organizations. Its mission is to provide business leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development, and to support the business license to operate, innovate and grow in a world increasingly shaped by sustainable development issues.

Media Contacts:

Mike McCaffrey
The Dow Chemical Company
Office: +1-989-636-3045
mmccaffrey@dow.com

Masaaki Bando
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
Office: +81-3-6271-5120
masaaki.bando@fujixerox.co.jp

Elissa Nesbitt
Xerox Corporation
Office: +1-585-423-3591
Elissa.Nesbitt@Xerox.com

Moira O'Brien-Malone
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Office: +41 79 377 7958
obm@wbcsd.org

June Namioka
IBM Media Relations
Office: +81-3-3808-5196
june@jp.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM