Don’t scrap big rigs, donate them

Re “Local ports initiate antipollution program,” Oct. 2

Thank you for this informative article on this mostly excellent program to clean the air of one of America’s largest ports. I feel compelled to comment, however, on the scrapping of nonconforming big rigs.

An enormous amount of energy goes into the manufacture of a tractor truck, which is essentially amortized over the useful life of the truck. In other words, if you scrap a running, potentially useful vehicle, you are wasting energy and creating pollution by doing so -- even without considering the energy costs of manufacturing a new truck to replace it. This is contrary to the green intentions of the program.

I have seen the trucks used to haul goods in and out of ports in Mexico, Central America and South America. In many cases, they are much older, in much worse repair and far more polluting than these noncomplying trucks being scrapped by the Port of Los Angeles.

If the port is really able to buy them for as little as $5,000, wouldn’t it make sense to recycle these vehicles by selling or donating them to ports in less-fortunate countries that would then also be emitting less pollutants, a benefit for their health and ultimately ours as well?

Dave Mortenson

Los Angeles