Scrap It Raising Awareness in Region
Thursday, March 29, 2012 @ 3:59 AM
Prince George, B.C.- There are half a million vehicles registered in B.C. which are 1995 year models or older, and the BC Scrap It program would like to see those vehicles off the roads.
The older vehicles are less fuel efficient, and emit more greenhouse gasses than vehicles 2004 or newer. Under the Scrap It program, owners of the older vehicles can get some cash incentives to make the move to new, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendlier models.
Dennis Rogoza, CEO of the Scrap It program says while the program has been embraced in the lower mainland, vehicle owners in the central interior and north of the province, haven’t been as actively involved. “Just in the couple of days I have been here, there are probably a lot of potential candidates in Prince George.”
Rogoza says since the program was launched in 2008, some 32 thousand vehicles have been “scrapped” but the participation rate from this part of the Province has been very low. The number of vehicles “scrapped” in Prince George peaked in June of 2009 when 22 vehicles were “scrapped”. Most recent stats show that number has dropped to one or two per month.
According to Rogoza, the emission levels on the older scrapped vehicles is 50 to 100 times that of the models from 2004 and over the past three years getting those older vehicles off the road has removed about 170 thousand tonnes of greenhouse gas from the environment.
The criteria to qualify for the cash incentives is that the vehicle must be 1995 or older, and it has to have been on the road for the last 6 months, something that is confirmed with ICBC insurance. “If you meet that criteria, you are approved by our program and then it’s a matter of surrendering the vehicle and picking the incentive you want, it’s really very, very straight forward.”
Rogoza says incentives could see a person get up to $1250 off the purchase of a newer vehicle.
Details of the program, and the online applications can be accessed here.
Rogoza says a program like this can have a positive impact on improving the air quality in Prince George, “Scrap It is one piece of the puzzle. We think that in the Prince George area there are a lot of vehicles that should come to our program we are looking for customers, we are happy to work with industry to make a difference here.”
Comments
Most people who are driving pre 1995 are doing that because a) they can’t afford anything newer or b) they want a beater around for working around the house or taking to the bush. The incentives they give simply are not worth giving up a vehicle that is being used. Now if you could get $200.00 for a vehicle you have laying around in the backyard, just to keep it from getting back on the road, was on the table I think a lot more people would take advantage of it. But to give those small incentives for vehicles that are still in service is meaningless, especially here in the north. Besides, when the solar flares hit, those are the only vehicles that will still be running.
LOL on solar flare comment.
Hmmm my 97 Cavalier still gets 55 MPG which is a whole lot better than most new cars. Wouldn’t it be better on the environment if people kept their cars longer, maintained them better? So making a whole pile of new cars is easier on the environment? OOPs there goes another volcano.
People keep the older vehicles up here because they are cheaper to insure and repair. Repairs are a major consideration when driving on the pot hole ridden streets of Prince George. :-0
A year ago my stepdaughter could have used this program to get rid of an older car, it would have been great. It would appear this was a closely gaurded secret until now. I was talking to mechanics,salvage yards then and not a whisper of this program. When they don’t advertise and let the word out you’re not going to get people using it.
$1250 off a new vehicle to scrap it, or wait for the next “push pull or drag” sale and get $2000 ;-)
I will keep my 79 3/4 4×4, but then again I don’t drive to the Store with it to buy Milk, my Camper won’t fit on the Sunfire or my Toyota.If I win the 6/49 I can buy the new Pickup with large white Letters marked at 48000 at the dealer in Vanderhoof ??
This Offer is so stupid , do they think we are nuts .
I agree with the comments posted. I had always heard, and believe, that the most pollution from a vehicle in its “lifetime” is produced in the manufacturing process.
Another wonderful piece of politics benefitting a special interest group (the auto industry). Dennis Rogoza is their front man here. The last vehicle I sold was a 1990 Caprice, 13 years old with over 666,000 km. on it. I didn’t even advertise it and got $1000 for it. The 350 engine had never been touched. It still only used 1 litre of oil in 3000 km. The transmission had been properly rebuilt at 250,000km and a shift kit put in. It still worked just fine. Auto makers hate things like shift kits because they make the transmission last so long. They also won’t put dual ignition on engines even though it would drastically cut pollution, give more power and greatly improve gas mileage.
Our throw away society is gobbling up this one down south. It wouldn’t be so bad if they dismantled these cars first to seperate the different types of steel in them but they don’t. Recycled steel is very hard to work with because of all the impurities or different types of metal in them.
If you have an older vehicle, say fities, sixties or seventies in beautiful shape, they’re going to give you $1250 for it? Give me a break.
Maybe we up north aren’t so suseptible to the herd syndrome. Perhaps we think a little more independantly.
I use to drive a 7.3 diesel that had a million miles on it and for its entire life gave me about 18 to 23 MPG. So first off lets forget the theory that new vehicles are more fuel efficient because its just not true. I now drive a new 6.7 cummins that gets about half the milage my old truck did. It has all the new emission control devices that reduce flow and use fuel to make the exhaust clean. Now my question is …does it make sense to burn twice the fuel to make the vehicle twice as safe for the enviornment. Sure it does…As much sense as using your visa to pay your mastercard bill !!
Ramrod are you saying your new Truck gets only 12 mpg, my old 79 with a new engine gets 15mpg empty with a 350, what a rip off, take it back to the Dealer for a refund.
This program would be scrapped today ,if I were finance minister
does this apply to old motor-cycles too? got a couple would be nice to turn into cash!
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