Aventis Environmental Science to Acquire Clorox's MAXFORCE Brand and Products.

Business Editors

LYON, France & MONTVALE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2002

Aventis Environmental Science, a business unit of Aventis CropScience, announced today that it has reached agreement with The Clorox Company to purchase The Clorox Company's MAXFORCE(R) brand and products for the professional pest control markets. Clorox will continue to sell its consumer insecticides, including those sold under the "Combat" and "Black flag" brands into the consumer markets. The parties agreed not to disclose the price of the transaction.

Under the terms of the agreement, Aventis Environmental Science will have the global rights to sell MAXFORCE(R) to the professional pest control markets. Aventis Environmental Science is already the exclusive distributor for MAXFORCE(R) in Europe and is selling MAXFORCE(R) in South America.

"We are pleased with the acquisition of the MAXFORCE(R) brand and products," said Pascal Housset, CEO of Aventis Environmental Science. "MAXFORCE(R) rounds out our portfolio of high-performance, professional products for pest control and fills a geographical gap."

MAXFORCE(R) is currently sold in more than 100 countries, based on fipronil or hydramethylnon as active ingredients. MAXFORCE(R) offers a wide range of bait products to control ants and cockroaches. In the U.S., MAXFORCE(R) uses bait technology primarily with fast-acting fipronil, the same active ingredient that has proven to be highly effective on termites in TERMIDOR(R) termiticide/insecticide, which is manufactured by Aventis Environmental Science.

Aventis Environmental Science offers a broad product portfolio for public health and hygiene, material preservation, turf and amenity and vegetation management covering non-agricultural applications of Aventis CropScience active ingredients. Aventis Environmental Science is part of Aventis CropScience.

Aventis CropScience is a major crop protection and crop production company that is also involved in top-ranking environmental and public health activities. Committed to developing sustainable agriculture worldwide, Aventis CropScience focuses on researching, developing and marketing innovative solutions that meet the needs of today's farming - healthy crops, increased yields, improved crop and food quality - while constantly striving to meet the needs of the environment.

With 2000 sales of 4,034 million Euros, Aventis CropScience devotes over 11 percent of its turnover to the research and development of new chemicals, biotechnology and plant varieties. It employs about 14,400 people in more than 120 countries worldwide. For more information on Aventis, visit the Web Site www.aventis.com.

Statements in this news release other than historical information are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially depending on factors such as the availability of resources, the timing and effects of regulatory actions, the strength of competition, weather conditions, the outcome of litigation and the effectiveness of patent protection. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties is set forth in the current Annual Report on Form 20-F of Aventis on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.