What to do with outdated Flares?

I came across the annual CPS select location places to get rid of old flares. Once again I will not be anywhere near these locations. posted in case you are.
https://www.cps-ecp.ca/events/safety-equipment-flare-disposal-days-2/

Anyone have BC lower mainland or Gulf Island locations & dates for disposal.

Or do we wait for July 4th.

Is there a Canadian tradition to set off fireworks on Canada Day? If so fire them off then…..

May be illegal like it is in the USA if the aerial kind.

psneeld said:

May be illegal like it is in the USA if the aerial kind.

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That is it, illegal and no easy way to get rid of them made possible. But I have seen more go off on the US side on the 4th.

No worries Woodland, just kidding. I just thought it would work well when I cross the line to empty my holding tank. just kidding, it is the covid made me say it.

Yes it is illegal in the US. We were dispatched many times for flare sightings by people shooting them up for fun. Yes even on 4th of July. Do you think the 911 dispatcher has the authority to say, "It's probably just someone having fun." NO!

It is a real problem. I have about 40 or so in my shed trying to find somewhere to get rid of them. I have gone to the electronic signals so it won’t be an issue going forward. Also have PLBs on our life jackets so that reduces the need somewhat for pyrotechnic signals.

I came across the annual CPS select location places to get rid of old flares. Once again I will not be anywhere near these locations. posted in case you are.
https://www.cps-ecp.ca/events/safety-equipment-flare-disposal-days-2/

Anyone have BC lower mainland or Gulf Island locations & dates for disposal.

Comodave said:

It is a real problem. I have about 40 or so in my shed trying to find somewhere to get rid of them. I have gone to the electronic signals so it won’t be an issue going forward. Also have PLBs on our life jackets so that reduces the need somewhat for pyrotechnic signals.

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Are they pyro flares no longer required to be on board? I'm not familiar with the rules for larger boats and maybe not as up to date as I should be for all...
I've got a rather large box of them in my small run about. So far I've just kept the old ones...put the new ones on top for certification/inspection.. I'm pretty sure the old ones will continue to work for quite some time & I recon they're just more ammunition to increase my odds of getting attention if I ever do really need a flare!

I returned quite a bunch of expired flares (like 30+) that were sitting onboard when I bought our boat.
I checked with the local firefighters station and they told me to bring them to the nearby recycling center. They have a section for dangerous/explosive stuff like hunter ammo etc. No cost and safe disposal.

L

Yes go to the site indicated #7 and it will connect you to all the pertinent info for the year in Canada. TroTac Victoria 12 June.

skyhawk said:

Are they pyro flares no longer required to be on board? I'm not familiar with the rules for larger boats and maybe not as up to date as I should be for all...
I've got a rather large box of them in my small run about. So far I've just kept the old ones...put the new ones on top for certification/inspection.. I'm pretty sure the old ones will continue to work for quite some time & I recon they're just more ammunition to increase my odds of getting attention if I ever do really need a flare!

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You can use the electronic signals, there are a couple of brands now, in lieu of the pyrotechnic flares. Before we retired from the CG Auxiliary our boats were acG facilities. The CG would not allow us to carry flares that were beyond 5 years past their expiration. They were believed to be unstable and apparently there had been cases of them hurting some people. We have VHF, cell phones and PLBs if we get into trouble. It is a PITA to keep buying flares as they expire and then trying to find a place to dispose of the old ones. So I have stopped carrying the pyrotechnic signals.

Go offshore 3+nm and fire them into the water. Get to know how to use them and what happens when you ignite them. Eliminate the shock-factor so that in the future if you do need them you'll be comfortable.

and Mako did not say that

If the flares still work, firing them into the water will get rid of them, but if they don't work, they still present a danger until you can properly dispose of them.

The electronic flares are great for close-in work, but the aerial flares are the only way to get attention at any distance.

Soo-Valley said:

I came across the annual CPS select location places to get rid of old flares. Once again I will not be anywhere near these locations. posted in case you are.
https://www.cps-ecp.ca/events/safety-equipment-flare-disposal-days-2/

Anyone have BC lower mainland or Gulf Island locations & dates for disposal.

Or do we wait for July 4th.

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Per the CPS website: Steveston Hardware 1677 W 5th Ave in Vancouver on Saturday June 26, 2021...........

rochepoint said:

Per the CPS website: Steveston Hardware 1677 W 5th Ave in Vancouver on Saturday June 26, 2021...........

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I should have said once again I am no where near that event on that day. One day a year, then one day a year in Nanaimo and Victoria. But you have to be there or it may as well not happen.

Before I went to the electronic version, I took the handheld ones and the wife to a place where they would not be seen and had her ignite them for practice. The aerial flares can be shot into a bucket of water for practice too.

OldDan1943 said:

The electronic flares are great for close-in work, but the aerial flares are the only way to get attention at any distance.

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Respectfully disagree. The aerial flares only last for a couple of seconds unless you buy SOLAS ones. I would rather rely on a PLB that will give lat/long to the RCC. Or VHF or even a cell phone.

I carry the electronic flare to avoid the costly, hazardous, and useless handheld flares. I wonder how many inflatable life rafts those stupid things have sunk through their hot dripping slag? For real attention I carry SOALS smoke for day and flares for night. Crossing big water I'm gonna have a PLB, but for now, there is no need since this boat will not be doing that.

The dripping slag is another issue. First the boat was sinking so light a handheld flare. Now the sinking boat is on fire...

Many RVers appreciate getting old hand held flares.
I carry a few in case of a road side breakdown and they make great fire starters.
It is an opportunity to have someone light it that has never handled one. We did an end of year marina cook out every year and used them as a training aid for those that have never handled them.
When the local USPS / ABC Chapter does a training session its an easy task to alert the closest USCG station of a training class, date, time and GPS coordinates.

koliver said:

If the flares still work, firing them into the water will get rid of them, but if they don't work, they still present a danger until you can properly dispose of them.

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Go down to beach snd shoot into the water. We typically bring wife and or kids down with us so they get more comfortable shooting. (Educational opportunity.)

Never saw a kid not love to do it lol

Alisske said:

Go down to beach snd shoot into the water. We typically bring wife and or kids down with us so they get more comfortable shooting. (Educational opportunity.)

Never saw a kid not love to do it lol

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Check with the police and USCG first.
Hate to have the educational experience to include daddy getting hauled off to jail, in front of the kids.
Plus you will attract other unrelated kids, 'wanting to do it too.'

Next time you have a campfire just drop them into the fire. Not 40 at once but five or six at a time. They burn nicely. No outrage or explosion, they just burn.

pete

Pete Meisinger said:

Next time you have a campfire just drop them into the fire. Not 40 at once but five or six at a time. They burn nicely. No outrage or explosion, they just burn.

pete

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even the orion 12 gauge? That would be good to know

Soo-Valley said:

even the orion 12 gauge? That would be good to know

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Ive burnt them (not intentionally, lol). The 12 gauge flares version. They do not explode, but some of mine gave a pop and they jumped a foot or so.

I guess I am saying don’t burn them in your indoor fireplace. Lol

use them up on the 4th of july

We asked members of our Boat Club to gather all expired flares. We arranged with the local Coast Guard and Local Polices Departments that during our Boat Club meeting we would hold a training session, on the beach, on lighting and shooting up flares. Most members had never experience lighting a flare. Our event was well attended and everyone was able to experience shooting off flares.

You know "that guy" on the next pier over that always plays loud, crappy music and gets drunk all the time? The next time he's vomiting on the pier go and put them in his bbq pit.