Horgen, Switzerland - August 21, 2006

The continued high and volatile raw material and energy costs for the production of polystyrene do not allow for acceptable margins for Dow.  As a result, Dow Europe GmbH is announcing a price increase across the European, Middle Eastern and African regions for all polystyrene resins.

Effective September 1, 2006, or as contract terms allow, Dow Europe polystyrene prices will increase by 120 Euro per metric ton for all grades of its general purpose polystyrene resins (GPPS), high impact polystyrene resins (HIPS) and STYRON™ A-TECH™ advanced technology polystyrene resins.

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.

More information about STYRON polystyrene resins is available at the Dow Polystyrene web site at http://www.styron.com.

For Editorial Information:

Kulwant Steiger
Dow Europe GmbH
+41-44-728-2488