Cash for Clunkers, or the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), may allow the not-so-serious recyclers to think seriously about the enticingly green federal initiative. Now, any average ne’er-do-well automobiles spanning 25 years could be replaced with cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles. The Federal government offers a $3,500 or $4,500 discount from the car dealer when a customer trades in his old vehicle and purchases or leases a new one.
The popular policy urged the Congress to raise the ceiling from $1 billion since, within a week or so, the allotted funds proved inadequate. Accordingly, the U.S. Senate approved a $2 billion extension and sent it to the White House on Thursday.
Credibility of the Federal move:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) makes sure that the system is not taken undue advantage of. Only eligible transactions involving electronic funds transfers to a registered dealer will be entertained. The consumer needs to provide evidence of ownership of the vehicle and further proofing on vehicle’s registration and insurance to the same person during the last 12 months is solicited. Moreover, the NHTSA ensures that the vehicle, after receiving the Federal grant, is never used again in any country.
Monetary recycling won’t add to tacky landfills:
Since the program requires proper replacement and satisfactory disposal of the old gas guzzlers, it suggests following measures to avoid any additions to the junkyards and landfills:
1) Just to make sure that the dumped vehicles don’t add to the landfills or the junkyards, a CARS provision asks the scrap dealers to clear the disposed elements within 180 days of receipt.
2) The engines should be disabled with sodium silicate, or liquid glass. To avoid any ill effects on the shredder workers indulged in disabling, the NHTSA makes use of less than the three to four quarts than the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) assumes will be used.
3) Scrap dealers will take care of such trade-in vehicles that are no longer usable. It can be scrapped further by the dealer.
4) After removing all hazardous liquids, the car will be crushed within 180 days of receipt.
5) Finally, the dead batteries’ sub parts such as the case, acid and the lead can be recycled, neutralized and recovered respectively.
Federal checks to check it, sufficient?
Though the Federal government has tended the program with utmost care, the not-so-green designs of the beneficiaries should be checked at the very outset. As NPR reports it, Robert Hemsley, one of the recipients, does it for finances rather thinking about the environment.
Just saving money, stayin’ alive, making a buck, paying my bills.
Such practices need to be curbed to avoid any misuse of this environmental policy and government finances.
Image Credit: Boston/Styling Performance/LCSC