AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- ARCADIS (EURONEXT: ARCAD), the international consultancy, design and engineering company, announced the opening of the third large landfill gas (LFG) plant near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, named Novo Gramacho. The opening coincided with the celebration of the International Environmental Day. The new plant will consolidate the leading market position of Biogas, a company in which ARCADIS Logos holds 33%. In 2004, Biogas opened the Bandeirantes landfill gas project, followed by the Sao Joao project in 2007, both near Sao Paulo.

Novo Gramacho Energia Ambiental, in which Biogas has a 50% shareholding, owns the new facility. The plant was opened by the Governor of the Rio de Janeiro State and the Mayor of the City of Rio de Janeiro. Novo Gramacho has been developed to collect and burn the methane gas emitted in the Gramacho landfill where 2.4 million tons of urban waste has been buried every year for the last 30 years. The concession contract for the plant, won in July 2007, is valid for the operation and exploitation of the Gramacho landfill for more than 15 years.

Biogas has invested in facilities to collect the leachate and the landfill gas produced by the biodegradation of the urban waste buried in the landfill. With a capacity to collect 170 million m3 per year of landfill gas, Novo Gramacho is qualified to be approved by the UNFCCC - United Nation Framework on Convention for Climate Change for issuance of CER- Certified Emission Reduction also known as carbon credits. The landfill gas collected by Novo Gramacho is equivalent in energy terms to the residential consumption of Natural Gas of the City of Rio de Janeiro.

The CEO of ARCADIS Logos, Manoel Avelino da Silva, also Chairman of the Board of Novo Gramacho opened the ceremony stating: There are 35 Landfill Projects worldwide obtaining carbon credits. Novo Gramacho will join this group and rank at the top with its estimated 10 million CER in 15 years. With Novo Gramacho, Biogas reinforces its leadership position in LFG projects. Biogas now produces 58% of all CER issued globally for such projects. Besides generating revenues in the next 15 years, Novo Gramacho provides an important environmental contribution both locally and globally by preventing the emission of liquids and gases that are very hazardous for the environment.

About us:

ARCADIS is an international company providing consultancy, design engineering and management services in infrastructure, environment and buildings, to enhance mobility, sustainability and quality of life. ARCADIS develops, designs, implements, maintains and operates projects for companies and governments. With more than 14,000 employees and over EUR1.7 billion in gross revenue, the company has an extensive international network that is supported by strong local market positions. Visit us on the internet: http://www.arcadis-global.com

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For more information please contact: Mark Zellenrath, ARCADIS NV, tel: +31-26-3778292, e-mail: m.c.zellenrath@arcadis.nl