AUGUSTA – The start of the state’s buyback program for old polluting cars has been delayed because of resistance from auto recyclers who say they would lose money.

The Department of Environmental Protection said Thursday it will delay the program, which was supposed to begin Nov. 1, until it solves the problem of what to do with the junked cars.

It’s likely to be a frustrating development for people who signed up to collect vouchers for up to $2,000 toward the purchase of newer cars.

But environmental regulators say auto recyclers raised legitimate concerns about state rules burdening them financially.

The Legislature approved the program last spring in which vouchers are issued to motorists who bring in 1987 or older cars that have been registered for at least two years and can be driven to a disposal site.

The voucher’s value depends on the type of vehicle junked, and it goes toward the purchase of a 1996 or newer car with low emissions.

The Board of Environmental Protection, which sets rules for DEP programs, stipulated in October that the junked cars must go to auto recyclers, which are required to comply with state regulations for handling, recycling or disposing of fluids, tires and other parts from junked vehicles.

The problem is that the cars traded under the program are so old that they have no value to the auto recyclers, said Leslie Cosgrove, executive director of the Maine Auto Recyclers Association.

Recyclers would lose $300 to $500 on each car they accept under the program, based on the cost of labor and handling to dismantle the cars and dispose of fluids and other materials, Cosgrove said.

“We have a good relationship with the DEP, but this isn’t working out, because we weren’t figured into this,” she said.

She said the association supports the program philosophically but would like to see its members reimbursed for at least part of their costs.

The Natural Resources Council of Maine, an environmental group that supported the buyback law, questioned the idea of paying the recyclers.

“Let’s clean up the air rather than compensate people who already do this for a living,” said Sue Jones, who heads the council’s air quality program.

James Brooks, who heads the DEP’s air quality division, met with auto recyclers Thursday to discuss the problem. He said the DEP will continue to study the situation and may seek legal guidance from the attorney general about whether the department could solicit bids for the junk car disposal service.

“They can’t afford to do this at a loss,” said Ron Severance, a staff member at the DEP’s air quality bureau. “We’re sympathetic with their problem.”

If the recycling issue is resolved, there’s still another major obstacle – funding. Lawmakers didn’t appropriate any money for the program. Instead, they created a fund and said companies could dedicate environmental penalties to the program voluntarily. So far, no one has done that.

About 1,000 Mainers have signed up for the program, and the DEP is developing a list of the first 100 who submitted the information required to prove that they and their cars were eligible.

“Luckily for us, we’ve been telling people as they sign up about the issues that we’re having,” Brooks said. “So far, people have been pretty good about that.”