Special collection events in Orange, San Diego and Ventura counties give recreational boaters a safe way to dispose of outdated pyrotechnic distress signals.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Boaters cleaning out a dock box or going through their vessel’s safety equipment may want to take a closer look at the expiration dates stamped on their marine flares. This October, three Southern California collection events will provide eligible boaters with an opportunity to safely dispose of expired pyrotechnic marine flares.
Orange County, Ventura County, and the Port of San Diego are participating in a broader California effort alongside several Northern California counties; CalRecycle; the California Product Stewardship Council; California State Parks; and the California Coastal Commission’s California Boating Clean and Green Program. The effort is intended to provide disposal opportunities while educating boaters about safe flare management and reusable distress-signal alternatives.
For Southern California boaters, collection events will be held Oct. 24 at Sunset Aquatic Marina in Huntington Beach, Shelter Island Boat Ramp in San Diego and Channel Islands Harbor Marina in Oxnard.
The events address a problem familiar to longtime boat owners: pyrotechnic marine flares eventually expire, but getting rid of them properly can be considerably more difficult than replacing them.
Flares contain hazardous materials and should not be placed in household trash or thrown overboard. According to information provided by the collection program, recreational vessels generate an estimated 174,000 expired pyrotechnic marine flares annually in California, based on a 2011 estimate from the California Expired Marine Flare Working Group. California currently does not have an ongoing statewide disposal program specifically for expired marine flares.
That leaves some boaters accumulating old flares aboard their vessels or at home because they are unsure where they can legally and safely dispose of them.
The October events are designed to give eligible recreational boaters an alternative.
In Orange County, expired marine flares will be collected Saturday, Oct. 24, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Sunset Aquatic Marina, 2901 Edinger Ave. in Huntington Beach.
Farther south, the Port of San Diego collection will run from 8:00 a.m. to noon at Shelter Island Boat Ramp, 2210 Shelter Island Drive in San Diego.
Ventura County’s event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Channel Islands Harbor Marina, 3850 Harbor Blvd. in Oxnard.
Eligibility requirements are important. The special Southern California events are intended for residents and boaters who berth their vessels in the participating areas, and proof of eligibility, such as identification, vessel registration or documentation showing slip fees, may be required. Organizers said flares from commercial vessels or organizations will not be accepted, nor will other types of household hazardous waste.
The collection effort also gives boaters an opportunity to reconsider what they carry for emergency signaling.
The U.S. Coast Guard requires certain recreational vessels operating on coastal waters and other specified waters to carry approved visual distress signals, with requirements depending on factors including where and when the vessel is operating. Traditional pyrotechnic flares remain a familiar option, but they have limited service lives and eventually require proper disposal.
Program partners are therefore encouraging boaters to learn about electronic visual distress signal devices, or eVDSDs. Unlike single-use pyrotechnic signals, qualifying electronic devices can provide a reusable alternative when they meet applicable Coast Guard requirements. Boaters considering a switch should make sure the equipment they purchase is Coast Guard-compliant for their vessel and intended use and that they continue to carry all required daytime and nighttime signaling equipment.
Even for boaters who plan to continue carrying traditional flares, the collection events offer a reminder to make flare inspection part of routine safety-equipment checks. Boaters should check manufacture and expiration dates, examine the condition of their distress signals and confirm that the equipment aboard meets current requirements before heading offshore.
The collection program extends beyond Southern California. Events also are planned in Alameda, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and West Contra Costa counties in October, although dates, eligibility requirements and appointment procedures vary by location.
For Southern California boaters, however, the Oct. 24 events offer a relatively rare opportunity to clear expired pyrotechnics from the boat without sending hazardous material into the regular waste stream.
Additional information about marine flare safety, disposal, and reusable alternatives is available through the California Division of Boating and Waterways’ marine flare program.
