Flares

nethawg · 08-09-2006, 07:31 PM

My flares expired, I didn't have to use them

Ok, salty dogs, my question is; what is the proper way to dispose of the old set?
It seems that they "may" (Very loose May) catch fire if disposed of at the locale rubbish transfer dump. The wife has already said tying them to the cat is not proper. So if anyone out there has any legal and proper ways of disposal please post. Thanks

Tony

Miss B Haven · 08-09-2006, 07:43 PM

Never get rid of them (never is a loose term). Keep your expired flares along with your currents. Too many flares is like having too much range or anchor rope....doesn't exist. I keep my old flares under the most current in my ditch box. The older ones occasionally :grin: get tested on the 4th of July. Never had one fail yet.

If you're running real flares (parachutes) $35 apiece Safety Equipment is to spendy to toss. The cheap ones do make good brush pile starters though. Don't ask me how I know this.

blubeast · 08-09-2006, 07:49 PM

Save them. For the past couple of years the Coast Guard has allowed us to test fire expired flares at the Newport Convention.

None have failed, but the chance to test fire them is a great learning experience as to what to except if you MUST use them

D-tangle · 08-09-2006, 08:21 PM

Keep them with your new ones. God forbid, but just because they are old, doesn't mean they aren't good--(just ask my wife :grin

and if you needed more than your two alloted flares in a sticky situation, you would have them. I get rid of the ones that are 'twice removed' at the July 4 celebration. The recently outdated, keep with the boat.

Good boating.

Pirate · 08-09-2006, 08:31 PM

I agree with every one, keep the old one's. Last year when my boat was inspected by the CG in Hammond, they said it was a good idea to keep the expired flares as back-up to the new one's.

Bridge Dog · 08-09-2006, 08:47 PM

just a short note to those who don't keep thier flares current. After being towed back to Brookings after a major engine blowup I found out the hard way that it as a 1000 dollar ticket to have only those expired flares. I now keep well ahead of the curve for more reasons than one.

Onokai · 08-09-2006, 09:21 PM

Toss em in the wood stove.

USCGBoating · 08-10-2006, 11:53 AM

I am working on this issue right now. There is really no legal method of disposal for flares other than firing them off. The catch is that unless it is a supervised and authorized firing you can face legal problems with making a false distress. I am working with the manufactures to come up with some sort of solution to the problem but in the mean time keep them, make sure you store them separate from your current flares, and label them expired.

Dan

Miss B Haven · 08-10-2006, 11:58 AM

USCGBoating- You would think the "Other" Men in Blue (or Brown) would take them. I'm pretty sure that you can turn in old ammunition to any Police dept for disposal. Flares (at least the launching type) would need to be disposed of in the same manor as Rifle/Pistol/Sotguns shells. Not so sure about the hand held flare/smoke type.

USCGBoating · 08-10-2006, 12:14 PM

Mel:

The flares are a class c explosive and considered hazardous waste. In the past some of the fire departments and police stations have taken them but they now have storage and disposal issues. Here in Puget Sound no one will take them. We had a retired flare program a few years back but DOD quit taking the flares because their disposal facility in Eastern Washington closed.

The flares you have are of no great danger in the quantity you have and once we work through the issue we should be able to come up with a cheep and simple means to dispose of them. I am waiting on a call back from Orion as we speak.

Dan

ron m · 08-10-2006, 12:19 PM

For disposal, I hope we'll keep having a "flare" shoot at the convention. Nice way to compare how they do and what it's like to light one.
ron m

skein · 08-10-2006, 01:53 PM

Here's a couple of things I do:

Since I carry them in one of those round plastic packs, I mark the ends either "F" for flare, or "S" for smoke. That way you don't accidently grab a smoke device when what you really want is a flare. I also mark "X" on any that are expired, and keep them separate from the current ones. Not a big deal, but in an emergency every little bit helps.

Skein

Fatdad · 08-10-2006, 02:23 PM

What I did was saved them til I seen the Coast Guard Aux. I gave them the expired flares. They use them for training. There budget is tight so they appreciate the donations.

Miss B Haven · 08-10-2006, 07:30 PM

Excellent idea! USCG- do all tha Aux take them? We have a chpter/shack right at Warrenton Marina. Maybe I can save a few pennies on taxes with a donation?

Grady252 · 08-10-2006, 09:21 PM

I second the brush fire thing.. They work great, I've heard.

PaulS · 04-25-2007, 10:06 PM

I have a ton of expired flares (a few dozen) and have thought about shooting them off on the 4th as others mention but don't these things keep burning longer than your standard fireworks? I've always feared having one come down on a neighbors house or car while still burning and causing some serious damage.

USCGBoating · 04-26-2007, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatdad

What I did was saved them til I seen the Coast Guard Aux. I gave them the expired flares. They use them for training. There budget is tight so they appreciate the donations.

This issue has become its own breathing organ. I am working with both Oregon and Washington to figure out a method to dispose of these things but it gets very convoluted because you also have to deal with county and city ordinances as well. There is no clear method currently to dispose of expired flares. The CG Aux can not, due to new Coast Guard policy, take in or conduct live flare shots as part of their classes.

Some fire and police departments may take them but that is on a case by case basis. I have been working several ideas but none have bore fruit such as portable incinerators. Right now I am conducting a experiment with Station Yaquina Bay to see if prolonged soaking in water will penetrate the container and inert the explosives. If this works they can be soaked for a period of time and then just dumped in the regular household trash. I�ll keep you posted.

The best way so far is to get a group of you together, call the local Coast Guard Station, and schedule a safety class on flare use and go down and shoot them off. CWO Allstott at Yaquina Bay told me this morning to give them a call and they would jump all over themselves to do a class for you. National Safe Boating Week is coming up May 19th through the 25th so this would be a great time to call and get something arraigned.

For those who choose to keep them on board make sure you separate them from your flares that are within their expiration date and place them in a container labeled �expired flares� This will save you a hole lot of grief later if you are boarded. Shooting them off on the forth of July is really not a great idea. Even with all the fireworks you could be charged with making a false distress call and the fun is not worth the repercussions.

Dan

salmonfever · 04-26-2007, 07:24 AM

I light them and place them in mole or gopher holes. i don't know if I have actually eliminated any of the pests, but do see smoke arising from the whole tunnel network.

Chrome Bumper · 04-26-2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salmonfever

I light them and place them in mole or gopher holes. i don't know if I have actually eliminated any of the pests, but do see smoke arising from the whole tunnel network.

That works with gophers, but moles will seal the tunnel before enough smoke gets in to kill them.

Chromaflage · 04-26-2007, 11:43 AM

I just spoke with both Metro and the Oregon City HHW folks. Expired flares can be taken to household hazardous waste collection events. Here is a schedule of some of the upcoming events:

http://www.metro-region.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=760

CrF