Air District Increases Old Vehicle Buy-Back Amount to $2K Beginning July 1

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAD) is expanding its vehicle buy-back program to encourage the removal of higher-polluting vehicles from the road by increasing the buy-back amount to $2,000, an increase of $500.

Beginning on July 1, vehicles that are model year 2000 and older can qualify, the Air District said.

“The Vehicle Buy Back Program encourages owners of older, high-emission cars and small trucks to voluntarily retire their vehicles,” said the District in a release. “Since older vehicles typically lack modern emission control systems, they disproportionately contribute to local air pollution.”

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According to the BAAD website: “The program reduces air pollutants from vehicle exhaust including fine particles and ozone precursors, the main ingredients in smog. These pollutants contribute to respiratory diseases and increased mortality rates. Retiring older vehicles also reduces carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.”

In order for a vehicle to be eligible, it must be model year 2000 or older, currently registered as operable, and has to have been registered as operable in the Bay Area for the past 24 months. Also, vehicles within 60 days of a required smog check must pass a smog check.

According to the Air District, the buy-back program has retired over 95,000 vehicles and has prevented “millions of pounds” of pollutants from affecting the air.

For more information about the Vehicle Buy Back Program, go to www.baaqmd.gov/vbb.

If your vehicle does not qualify for the BAAD’s program, it may qualify for the State of California’s complimentary program that allows eligible consumers to retire vehicles that do not pass a smog check. For more information on the Consumer Assistance Program, visit the state website at: www.bar.ca.gov/consumer/consumer_assistance_program.

This article was written by Katy St. Clair for Bay City News.

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