The car scrappage scheme introduced in the last Budget has been taken up and old cars were replaced with 3,000 modern, cleaner vehicles.
A total of 2,400 cars were scrapped under the scheme and 600 people who had no car to scrap took advantage of half the rebate.
The scheme was meant to close when 2,000 vehicles were scrapped but it was extended.
Speaking during a visit to Tar-Robba recycling centre, which is taking the scrapped vehicles, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said the scheme was a success story.
However, he was non-committal when asked whether the scheme would re-open in the Budget to be presented on November 14.
The government, he said, was committed to looking at other alternatives that would help it reach the same aims of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Tar-Robba benefitted from European Regional and Development Funds to purchase equipment used to dismantle scrapped vehicles, specifically one that cleanses the vehicle of oil and other liquids.
The recycling centre also dismantled 150 of the old, yellow buses and what remains is a graveyard of engines and a mound of axles.
Car owners had been offered up to €2,000 if they scrapped their car and bought a new, low-emissions vehicle. First-time buyers were offered up to half that amount if they had no car to scrap.
Scrapped cars had to be over 10 years old. Once scrapped cars arrive at the facility, they are stripped off all rubber, plastics and metal and prepared for export.
Mr Fenech was accompanied by Resources Minister George Pullicino who harped on the government’s commitment to continue driving down CO2 emissions.
He said that once the Marsa power station was closed and the Delimara extension started being used, there would automatically be 400,000 tonnes less of CO2 emissions. He said the government was also working on a €2 million project with EU funds to install 100 charging points for electric vehicles and to purchase 25 electric cars to be used by government departments.
Mr Pullicino said the five civic amenity sites in the country had received nearly 3,000 fridges, 1,000 washing machines, 5,200 TV sets, 1,000 fans, 2,300 monitors and 1,500 computers.