Exhibit 99.1

[LOGO OF MILLENNIUM CHEMICALS]
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         NEWS RELEASE


                                                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Contact: Thomas Van Valkenburgh
         Manager - Investor Relations
         (410) 229-8113


                 MILLENNIUM CHEMICALS ANNOUNCES EFFECTIVENESS OF
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENTS

Hunt Valley, Maryland, September 24 -- Millennium Chemicals (NYSE: MCH)
announced today that the registration statements on Form S-4 (File No.
333-106132) and Form S-3 (File No. 333-113841) of Millennium Chemicals and
Millennium America Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Millennium Chemicals, have
been declared effective by the Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The registration statement on Form S-4 relates to $100,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of Millennium America's 9-1/4% Senior Notes due 2008, which are
unconditionally guaranteed by Millennium Chemicals. The new notes are being
offered in exchange for an equal principle amount of the Company's 9-1/4% Senior
Notes due 2008, which were issued on April 25, 2003 pursuant to exemptions from
registration under applicable securities laws. The new notes have the same
interest rate, maturity and redemption rights as the previously outstanding
notes. Upon completion of the exchange offer, liquidated damages will cease
accruing on the notes.

The registration statement on Form S-3 relates to $150,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Millennium Chemicals' 4% Convertible Senior Debentures
due 2023, which are unconditionally guaranteed by Millennium America. The
debentures were issued on November 25, 2003 pursuant to exemptions from
registration under applicable securities laws. The effectiveness of the
registration statement will enable holders to resell their debentures (or shares
of Millennium Chemicals' common stock into which the debentures may be
converted) in the public markets as described in the prospectus relating
thereto. In addition, as a result of the effectiveness of the registration
statement, liquidated damages will cease accruing on the debentures.

Millennium Chemicals (website: www.millenniumchem.com) is a major international
chemicals company, with leading market positions in a broad range of commodity,
industrial, performance and specialty chemicals.

Millennium Chemicals is:

o    The second-largest producer of TiO[u]2 in the world, the largest merchant
     seller of titanium tetrachloride and a major producer of silica gel and
     cadmium/based pigments;

o    The second-largest producer of acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer in
     North America;

o    A leading producer of terpene-based fragrance and flavor chemicals; and,






Through its 29.5% interest in Equistar Chemicals, LP, a partner in the
second-largest producer of ethylene and third-largest producer of polyethylene
in North America, and a leading producer of performance polymers, oxygenated
chemicals, aromatics and specialty petrochemicals.