News

BEI Announces Closure of Transaction

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 23, 2008) - Bennett Environmental Inc. (TSX:BEV) (the
"Company" or "BEI") announced today that it closed the transaction to divest of
Trans-Cycle Industries, Ltd. ("TCI") and Material Resource Recovery S.R.B.P. Inc.
("MRR") on December 18, 2008. In addition to the purchase price as announced on October 30
of this year, the Company will receive approximately $3.0 million which is currently held by the
Ministry of Environment of Ontario in support of the operating permits for TCI and MRR. These
deposits are described in note 7 to Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December
31, 2007.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release and in certain documents incorporated by
reference into this press release constitute forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words
"anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect",
"may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and
"confident" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking
statements. BEI believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are
reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such
forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference into, this press release should
not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. BEI
undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Bennett Environmental Inc.

Bennett Environmental Inc. is a North American leader in high temperature treatment services for the
treatment of contaminated soil and has provided thermal solutions to contamination problems
throughout Canada and the U.S. Bennett Environmental's technology provides for the safe, economical
and permanent solution to contaminated soil. Independent testing has consistently proven that the
technology operates well within the most stringent criteria in North America. For information,
please visit the Bennett Environmental website at: www.bennettenv.com.