ECOLAB INC. — Director's Dealing 2009

Jan 21, 2009

SEC Form 5 — Annual Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: ECOLAB INC (ECL)
CIK: 0000031462
Period of Report: 2008-12-31

Reporting Person: BELL LAWRENCE T (General Counsel and Secretary)

Non-Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Code	Shares	Price	A/D	Holdings After	Ownership
2008-12-18	Common Stock	G	625	—	Disposed	104683	Direct
2008-12-18	Common Stock	G	625	—	Disposed	104058	Direct
2008-12-18	Common Stock	G	625	—	Acquired	3748	Indirect
2008-12-18	Common Stock	G	625	—	Acquired	3856	Indirect

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	8643.583	Indirect

Footnotes

F1: Transfer by reporting person to one of his daughters.

F2: Transfer by reporting person to a second daughter.

F3: The reporting person indirectly holds 8,643.583 UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of November 30, 2008. (The 8643.583 UNITS are equivalent to approximately 16,166 SHARES of Common Stock.)