Radio România Internațional

Tag: car scrapping-scheme

  • Proactive environmental policies

    Proactive environmental policies

    The effects of pollution turn more dramatic by the year. Toxic fumes from industrial activities and heavy traffic, alongside uncontrolled deforestation, ecological disasters and the accumulation of plastic and radioactive waste have all opened deep wounds in the body of the planet, leading to an imbalance that started to have dramatic consequences on people and life in general. Maintaining environmental balance is vital for maintaining healthy life on earth and that is why environmental polices have started to gain ground lately. On Wednesday, the Romanian Minister of the Environment Gratiela Gavrilescu announced in Alba Iulia, central Romania, that in the coming period ten meetings with citizens will be organized at regional level, focusing on the issue of waste management. Ministry representatives will provide support to all operators in the field, in order to have this problem solved. Here is Minister Gratiela Gavrilescu:




    “We will try to go from door to door and learn, educate, inform the citizens about the advantages of selective waste collection and, starting this year, we will focus more on recycling.”



    The line minister has also stated that 9,000 households that do not benefit from electricity will be equipped with photovoltaic panels, under a project titled ‘Light Centennial’. Photovoltaic panels turn solar energy into electricity, in an economical and ecological way. Authorities would like all households in Romania to have access to electricity, and, according to minister Gavrilescu, the first panels will be installed this year.



    Another project run by the Ministry of the Environment is the scrapping of household appliances. Here is minister Gratiela Gavrilescu again:



    “As many of us have to get rid of old, energy consuming and polluting appliances, by October 1st we intend to launch the funding guide for the household appliances scrapping program. We have already earmarked some 6.4 million Euros from the budget of the Environmental Fund Administration for the launch of this program.”



    Also, in the next government meeting, a proposal for an additional 30,000 tickets for the car scrapping program will be discussed. So far, 21,000 vehicles have been purchased under this program. The Ministry of the Environment has also stated a funding guide has been published in the Official Journal for projects aimed at diminishing greenhouse gas emissions, mainly by purchasing electrical buses and trams, or vehicles that run on compressed natural gas.


    (Translated by M. Ignatescu)

  • Environmental programmes in Romania

    Environmental programmes in Romania

    Romanias body responsible for environmental funds has supplemented the existing car fleet renewal scheme for private persons by a further 1,850 vouchers. The measure was taken as all the 13,000 electronic vouchers available under the scheme have run out for the first time since the scheme was launched. This year, the car-scrapping programme began in summer and has two components. The first, Car Scrap Classic provides people with a premium on buying a new car if they scrap their old car.



    The second, Car Scrap Plus, is a new scheme that stimulates the purchase of a new pure-electric or hybrid electric vehicle with no requirement to scrap an old car in exchange. In the first case, the scrappage premium amounts to 1,450 euros and also entails the possibility to access two additional environmental premiums: 167 euros for the purchase of a new car whose engine generates less than 100g of carbon dioxide per km; or 334 euros for the purchase of a new vehicle with hybrid propulsion system. In the case of the second type of scheme, the Car Scrap Plus, buyers of non-polluting vehicles may receive an additional environmental premium of 1,116 euros to purchase a new hybrid electric vehicle or 4,464 euros for a new pure-electric vehicle.



    Applicants may access either one of the two components of the scheme or both of them. The funds available for another environmental scheme, called the Green House, have also run out quickly in several counties within a few days of its launch this week. Under this scheme, private persons and legal entities receive a premium if they install, replace or add to their conventional heating systems elements that use green renewable energy.



    This scheme has generated a lot of interest, with people forming long queues in front of their local environmental protection agencies to submit their applications. The overall budget for the Green House programme stands at 20.9 million euros, of which 13.3 million is earmarked for the population. Applications may be submitted by the 24th of October.


    (Translated by C. Mateescu)