Specialty chemicals maker Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) today announced an important advance in flame retardant technology. Flame retardants used to enhance durable plastics in many consumer and commercial products, from textiles and electronics to airplane and automobile interiors, are vital tools for reducing the risk of fire death and injury for hundreds of millions of people while saving billions of dollars in property damage around the world.

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"Our first fire safety solution under Albemarle's new Earthwise brand, GreenArmor™, is due to be commercially available in late 2010. Earthwise GreenArmor is a unique, organic flame retardant suitable for use in a variety of plastic resins that will provide better performance across a wide range of applications, while improving the sustainability of the plastic resins used in many consumer products. GreenArmor is a result of multi-year investments in research and development and will set the new standard in developing innovative fire safety solutions that meet societal needs in an environmentally sound manner," said Tony Parnell, vice president of polymer solutions.

"The launch of the Earthwise™ family of eco-friendly products marks a new direction in specialty chemicals and is expected to grow to include products from other business units and divisions," explained Dave Clary, chief sustainability officer for the corporation. "The introduction of this unique fire safety solution furthers Albemarle's corporate commitment to sustainability for the full-cycle of our products. For Albemarle, green chemistry involves all processes, from design and innovation, minimizing the use of raw materials, energy and byproducts or waste, to manufacturing and the final stages of recycled or reuse. GreenArmor's design considers each of these aspects and we believe represents a great example of designing chemistry from a life cycle perspective."

In addition to GreenArmor, Albemarle is developing a portfolio of other sustainable fire safety and chemical solutions for diverse industries to address societal and industry expectations for sustainable technology and increased levels of product performance. Producing highly valued solutions for our customers with improved recyclability or reuse, that are non toxic, non-bioaccumulative and have favorable GHG footprints are just some of the criteria for Earthwise products.

About Albemarle:
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics; petroleum and petrochemical processing, transportation and industrial products, pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, and construction and packaging materials. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts, and Fine Chemicals. Albemarle employs over 4,100 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries.

Whether consumers are watching a television, sitting on a sofa, taking a commercial airline flight, or swallowing ibuprofen to relieve a headache, Albemarle products are there making lives safer and more livable. For more information, visit www.earthwiseinside.com.

About Albemarle's sustainability and fire safety leadership:

Dr. Dave Clary, Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer
Dr. Dave Clary is the Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Albemarle. In this role, Dr. Clary oversees the company's technology groups to accelerate the creation and commercialization of socially and environmentally sound products. He manages all aspects of Albemarle's global advocacy efforts to raise awareness of the safety and performance of the company's existing products, and also ensures that future products meet or surpass societal criteria. With over 20 years experience in process technology, research and development, and business management, Dr. Clary most recently served as Division Vice President of Albemarle's Fine Chemistry Services group. Dr. Clary graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1981. He continued his studies at LSU and received his PhD, also in Chemical Engineering, in 1985.

Tony Parnell, Vice President of Polymer Solutions
Mr. Parnell leads all aspects of the Polymer group's operations, research and product innovation, and business development activities, which include fire safety products in 100 countries. A chemical industry veteran with over 25 years of international experience in global sales, business management and development activities, Mr. Parnell joined Albemarle (then the Specialty Chemicals division of Ethyl Corporation) in July 1982. Most notable of his past assignments at Albemarle include Managing Director of the companies European and Middle East Operations and most recently having led the companies global Sales and Service operations. Mr. Parnell graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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