Multinational chemical company merging in 1999 with chemical giant Union Carbide for total worldwide sales of $24 billion. Dow and its affiliates have been tarred with accusations of environmental damage and US disregard for human life worldwide— Dow’s association with napalm in the Vietnam era made it a popular target for campus protestors. Dow Corning, a corporation created by Dow and Corning Glass in 1943 to develop silicon polymers, has also been savaged by suits and debates over the health risks of silicon gel breast implants.