Dr Bertrand Piccard is this year’s winner of the “Green Cowbell Award”. The 55-year-old adventurer received the award for his services to environmental protection and his untiring work in promoting the use of renewable sources of energy. Together with Brian Jones, Piccard was the first person to circumnavigate the Earth in a balloon – non-stop, without an engine or steering. He is currently making preparations for his next project, in which he plans to fly around the world in a solar-powered aircraft sometime next year.

“Piccard is a personality who has dedicated himself to the protection of natural resources. It is not only his courage and thirst for adventure which set him apart, but also his constant efforts to undertake his adventures in harmony with the environment,” was the summing-up of the jury in presenting the award to Piccard. The presentation took place at this year’s International Electronics Recycling Congress (IERC 2014) in Salzburg, Austria, which is organised and staged by ICM AG (www.icm.ch) every year. The jury includes well-known representatives from the worlds of commerce and science, who are also members of the IERC Steering Committee.

Since it was first presented in 2007, the Green Cowbell Award has become a highly coveted international trophy. Once a year the Swiss cowbell is awarded to personalities who have made outstanding contributions with their commitment to environmental protection. Winners who have been honoured for their services to the environment in the past include such distinguished names as EU parliamentarian Karl-Heinz Florenz, the founder of MBA Polymers Mike Biddle, Jim Puckett from the US environmental protection organisation Basel Action Network and Manfred Beck, publisher and editor-in-chief of “Recycling International”.

More than 500 representatives from the international recycling industry participated in this year’s IERC, along with 60 exhibitors. The IERC 2015 will be held from January 21 to 23, 2015 and the venue will again be Salzburg.

From left to right: Dr Viktor Haefeli, Jeanette Duttlinger, Dr Bertrand Piccard, Roger Burri

For more information and graphic material please contact:

ICM AG
Susann Schmid
Schwaderhof 7
5708 Birrwil, Switzerland
Tel: +41 62 785 10 00
Fax: +41 62 785 10 05
www.icm.ch

About ICM

ICM is an international leader in the organisation of congresses specialising in the fields of car recycling, electronics and batteries. These waste streams have been among the world’s fastest growing commodity markets for years.

One of the congresses organised by ICM is the «International Electronics Recycling Congress IERC», which takes place every year in Salzburg. Over 500 international experts from industry, government agencies and academic institutes use this platform to discuss the latest recycling technologies, regulations, manufacturing processes and raw materials. The conference is accompanied by a trade exhibition with some 60 exhibition stands and offers plant tours to leading raw material companies.

ICM AG is a Swiss company which has organised conferences in Europe, North America and Asia since the year 2000. The company was founded by Jeanette Duttlinger and her team consists of 12 employees who speak German, English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Chinese and Mandarin.