The government launched a subsidy scheme last week for owners to scrap their old diesel-powered vehicles with the aim of further improving the city’s air quality.
The applications, which started on Thursday last week, will run until March 15 next year.
Each eligible vehicle owner will benefit from a subsidy ranging from 25,000 patacas to 115,000 patacas depending on their respective vehicles’ type and specification.
The Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) announced the new subsidy scheme on Tuesday last week in a statement, when the programme’s regulation was published as an executive order by Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário in the Official Gazette (BO).
According to the regulation, the subsidy scheme covers vehicles that were first registered on or before December 31, 2002 and had still not been deregistered before the scheme’s announcement, i.e., Tuesday last week.
Applications will be assessed by the bureau’s Environmental Protection and Energy Conservation Fund.
According to the scheme’s regulation, owners are required to remove their vehicles from Macau within 180 days after they have been notified that their application for a subsidy has been approved. In addition, they are also required to deregister the respective vehicles with the Transport Bureau (DSAT) during the 180-day period. Only after the owners fulfil the requirements, will they be given the subsidy.
The Environmental Protection Bureau also noted that in compliance with the government’s policy to control the number of vehicles, the subsidy scheme does not require beneficiaries to purchase new vehicles after scrapping their old diesel vehicles.
The bureau underlined last week that the subsidy scheme aims to encourage owners to scrap their old diesel vehicles that produce a higher level of emissions.
Subsidies laid out
According to the scheme’s regulation published on Tuesday last week, the subsidy amounts for old diesel-powered passenger vehicles are 30,000 patacas for those with nine or fewer seats, 70,000 patacas for those with 10 to 16 seats, 75,000 patacas for those with 17 to 30 seats, and 85,000 patacas for those with 31 or more seats.
According to the regulation, the subsidy amount for old lorries, vans or other types of diesel vehicles are 25,000 patacas for those with a gross weight of up to 1.9 tonnes, 40,000 patacas for those with a gross weight of over 1.9 and up to 5.5 tonnes, 55,000 patacas for those with a gross weight of over 5.5 and up to 10 tonnes, 65,000 patacas for those with a gross weight of over 10 and up to 13 tonnes, 80,000 patacas for those with a gross weight of over 13 and up to16 tonnes, 100,000 patacas for a gross weight of over 16 and up to 24 tonnes, and 115,000 patacas for those with a gross weight of over 24 tonnes.
According to the regulation, the subsidy scheme does not cover vehicles still in use that were previously used as public buses.
The government launched in March this year a 3,500-pataca subsidy scheme for owners to replace their old motorcycles with new electric ones. Its applications will end on December 31.
