Dow Building Solutions recently announced that its facility in Varennes, Quebec, that manufactures STYROFOAM™ Brand Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Foam Insulation has converted to its new zero ozone-depleting, no-VOC (volatile organic compound) foaming agent technology.

The facility in Varennes marks the third conversion for Dow, and its first in Canada which, like the U.S., is required under the Montreal Protocol to phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) 142b, an ozone-depleting compound, before January 1, 2010.

Dow developed its next-generation foaming agent technology well in advance of the Montreal Protocol and U.S. EPA guidelines, and is on track to convert its facilities in accordance with the phase-out deadline. Dow’s new proprietary technology delivers the same STYROFOAM™ Brand XPS Foam Insulation R-5/inch insulation value, moisture resistance, and compressive strength that builders have trusted for more than 60 years, and offers an even “greener” choice to builders designing energy efficient homes and buildings with rigid foam insulation.

When properly installed in buildings, production capacity at Varennes of STYROFOAM™ Brand Insulation could save CO2 emissions equivalent to:

• Planting 800,000,000 trees
• Reducing vehicle travel by 1.6 trillion miles (2.6 trillion kilometres), or more than 66 million trips around the world
• Saving approximately 303 billion litres of gasoline or CDN $288 billion (.95/litre)

More information about Dow Building Solutions can be found at <www.dowbuildingsolutions.com>.