Flare Disposal - Revision history

Eric: Added some more information

2026-02-19T16:33:58Z

Added some more information

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 =External Links=
 *[https://www.reddit.com/r/sailing/comments/1ejafi3/proper_disposal_of_expired_flares/ A Reddit Post on r/Sailing Titled “ Proper Disposal of Expired Flares” ]
+*[https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-03/documents/9545928.pdf A 1998 Report by the US Army Corps of Engineers Titled “Alternatives to Open Burning/Open Detonation of Energetic Materials - A Summary of Current Technology” ]

Eric: Added some more links under the “External Links” section

2026-02-19T16:20:13Z

Added some more links under the “External Links” section

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:20, 19 February 2026
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	=External Links=		=External Links=
			*[https://www.reddit.com/r/sailing/comments/1ejafi3/proper_disposal_of_expired_flares/ A Reddit Post on r/Sailing Titled “ Proper Disposal of Expired Flares” ]
	*		*

Eric: Created Page + Added Basic Sections/Info

2026-02-19T16:19:18Z

Created Page + Added Basic Sections/Info

New page

=Basics=
*This page aims to cover how to safely dispose of [[Pyrotechnic Flares]] / [[Flares]]
*They are required for Boats/Ship, but typically expire after 4 Years or so

=Use for Training/Controlled Use Then Standard Disposal=
*Especially if done BEFORE they are truly expired, they are still safe to use, just not reliable to count your life on etc
*HOWEVER given they are meant to signal distress, you don’t want to accidentally have SAR Groups Scrambled etc over you using old flares
*Devices such as Gun Launched Flares and Rocket Flares complicate this approach too
*For simple Red Light flares, and to a lesser extent Smoke Flares though, this shouldn’t be much of an issue

==Procedure==
*Need to check for existing OFFICIAL procedures
*Mainly:
**Check for a [[Burn Ban]] / [[Burn Advisory]]
**Be in an area that isn’t very combustible and have [[Fire Extinguishers]] on hand for potential secondary fires
**Notify Local Coast Guard (and MAYBE Fire Department+Police, although this may be less necessary)
**Not doing the test on the water/near a roadway would probably help with that aspect too (no concerned call in’s etc)
**With proper safety precautions in place, activate the flare
**Once it is fully done combusting etc dispose of properly

=Disposal via a Third Party=
*Supposedly some Fire Departments/Local Governments or [[Household Hazardous Waste]] or Marine Stores etc collect them
**Granted do they just run into the same issue is the question…
***Supposedly this was the issue some ran into with [[Acetylene Gas Cylinder]] collection
****They were collecting them for a fee…but not disposing of them properly

=Internal Links=
*

=External Links=
*