- Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: November 30, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^* SANDERS DANIEL S	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ECOLAB INC [ ECL ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __ X __ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last) (First) (Middle) C/O ECOLAB INC., 370 WABASHA STREET N.	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 12/1/2011
(Street) ST. PAUL, MN 55102 (City) (State) (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	12/1/2011		A		43910	A	⁽¹⁾	43910	D

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g.* , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)**
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)			11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Explanation of Responses:

( 1)

Represents the maximum number of shares issuable to Mr. Sanders as merger consideration pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of July 19, 2011 among Ecolab Inc., Sustainability Partners Corporation and Nalco Holding Company based on the assumptions that Mr. Sanders elected to receive Ecolab shares with respect to all of the outstanding Nalco shares beneficially owned by him immediately prior to the effective time of the merger and he received Ecolab shares with respect to his Nalco shares. The adjustment and reallocation calculations provided for in the merger agreement have not been completed as of the date of this report. Thus, it is not possible to determine the exact number of Ecolab shares to be received by Mr. Sanders pursuant to the merger agreement. Once the exact number of shares is determined, Mr. Sanders will file an amendment to this report including the number of Ecolab shares received by him as merger consideration.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SANDERS DANIEL S C/O ECOLAB INC. 370 WABASHA STREET N. ST. PAUL, MN 55102	X

Signatures
David F. Duvick, as Attorney-in-Fact for Daniel S. Sanders		12/5/2011
^** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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