Dutch Industrial Property Bureau Upholds Calgon Carbon Corporation's
Patent Claim
PITTSBURGH, PA - September 24, 2002 - In response to a request
for advice by Wedeco Gmbh under Article 84 Dutch Patents Act 1995,
the Industrial Property Bureau (IPB) of the Netherlands determined
that Calgon Carbon Corporation's Dutch patent number 1012059,
for the use of ultraviolet light to treat drinking water that
may be contaminated with cryptosporidium, comprised patentable
subject matter.
The opinion of the IPB stated: "The use of the method according
to the patent for purification of drinking water… is novel
and not obvious…and that Calgon Carbon Corporation has overcome
the prevailing prejudice to arrive at this new and innovative
method."
Cryptosporidium, a microscopic parasite present in almost all
surface waters, is highly resistant to traditional disinfection
treatment methods such as chlorination. Prior to Calgon Carbon
Corporation's breakthrough discovery, it was thought that very
large doses of UV light were required to inactivate cryptosporidium.
Calgon Carbon Corporation's research discovered that low levels
of UV could be used to keep cryptosporidium from replicating.
"We are very pleased with the opinion of the IPB,"
said Robert P. O' Brien, Senior Vice President of Calgon Carbon
Corporation, "and that they recognize the value of our discovery
to the drinking water industry."
Assessing Purification, Separation, Recovery
and Synthesis Needs
Calgon Carbon Corporation provides Engineered Solutions to customers'
air, water and chemical process problems through design, fabrication
and operation of systems that utilize a combination of core technologies:
ion exchange and chromatographic separations, ultraviolet light
disinfections and oxidation, odor control, solvent recovery, VOC
abatement and distillation.
The group includes 160 professional engineers, scientists, sales
and marketing personnel, four global manufacturing sites, intellectual
property assets of more than 50 patents as well as pilot plant
facilities and custom chemical manufacturing capabilities utilizing
our technology.
About Calgon Carbon Corporation
Calgon Carbon Corporation is a global leader in services and solutions
for making air and water safer and cleaner, and for purifying
food, beverage, and industrial process streams.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Calgon Carbon Corporation employs
approximately 1,000 people and serves more than 4,000 customers
around the world through four business platforms: Carbon, Service,
Engineered Solutions and Consumer Health.
Calgon Carbon offers a variety of technology solutions and services
to address all purification, separation, recovery and synthesis
needs.
For more information, visit the Calgon Carbon website at: www.calgoncarbon.com or contact a customer
service technician at: info@calgoncarbon.com or call 1-800-422-7266.
Contact: Gail Gerono, Director of Investor Relations and Corporate
Communications, (412) 787-6795; gerono@calgoncarbon.com
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