Bounty Offered for Gas-Guzzling Cars

Fifty old gas guzzlers will be crushed today in Sun Valley as part of an ongoing program to eliminate pre-1982 cars that are known for emitting a disproportionate volume of air pollutants.

With smog season off to an early start this year, due in large part to the recent heat spell, the Glendale-based Old Vehicle Clearinghouse, or OVC, is once again encouraging residents within the South Coast Air Quality Management District to get rid of their older passenger cars and light-duty trucks.

With the recent rise in gas prices, OVC spokeswoman Catherine Drummond reminds area residents that “this may be the ideal time to get rid of an old gas-eater.” She said eliminating such vehicles can make a significant contribution to air quality in the area. Studies indicate, for example, that just five pre-1972 models create a ton of smog-producing pollutants over a three-year period.

So far, 10,000 vehicles have been destroyed through the program. OVC currently is offering $500 for 1975-81 model vehicles and $600 for pre-1975 models. The program continues every Saturday through the month of May. Other dates and locations will be announced soon.

To qualify for the program, a vehicle must be in operable condition and have been continuously registered in the four-county South Coast Air Basin (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and the non-desert portion of San Bernardino counties). These guidelines ensure that the cars being purchased are contributing to the Southland smog problem.

It takes about two weeks to complete the qualification process, and participants will receive a check after their car is crushed. For more details, vehicle owners may call the OVC hotline at (213) 239-0788 or (888) 4NO-SMOG.