ARCADIS (EURONEXT: ARCAD), an international consulting and engineering company, today announced that it will become a partner in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Mercury Partnership, a worldwide environmental initiative formalized in 2008 in response to a UNEP Governing Council Decision.

As a partner, ARCADIS will work to support UNEP’s international effort to reduce the human health and environmental risks associated with the release of mercury and its compounds in connection with the coal and energy industries. Because the transport of mercury has produced a worldwide environmental challenge, ARCADIS today announced that it has joined in the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership.

ARCADIS will be part of UNEP’s Partnership Advisory Group, established to serve the Global Mercury Partnership. The Partnership Advisory Group will encourage the pursuit of overall goals and operational guidelines, and help ensure that partnership members’ business plans are consistent with these goals and guidelines. The Advisory Group will also report to the executive director of UNEP on overall progress, and help foster cooperation in meeting the challenges of mercury emissions.

“We believe we can contribute to the success of UNEP Global Mercury Partnership by utilizing our experience with US programs as well as the expertise of ARCADIS professionals worldwide,” said Andrew J. Murphy, ARCADIS senior vice president. Murphy also noted that ARCADIS has been involved for more than a decade in both government and industrial programs designed to address US mercury emissions, including monitoring and waste disposal issues.

The ARCADIS representative to the Global Mercury Partnership, Dr. Wojciech Jozewicz, has participated in the Mercury Experts Meetings organized by the International Clean Coal Centre in the UK, becoming thoroughly familiar with the objectives of the partnership. Dr. Jozewicz’s initial involvement with the UNEP initiative will be participation in an international UNEP Global Mercury Partnership Advisory Group meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 31-April 2, 2009.

“This is a distinguished service opportunity for ARCADIS to participate in an exchange of engineering ideas to help develop key mercury control practices in developing countries,” Dr. Jozewicz said.

ARCADIS is an international company providing consultancy, 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 13,500 employees and more than $2 billion in gross revenue, the company has an extensive international network that is supported by strong local market positions.