How to dispose expired flares

[firbanks]

Any recommendations on disposing old/expired flares? Hazardous waste collection by the city / county won’t accept…

 

[jmooney]

I just keep them . They will probably work, if for whatever reason I use all the current flares.

 

[johnjen50]

I used to teach my kids how to use them by firing them off while out in The ocean. It’s ok to do as long as you call the coast guard and let them know you’re doing it. Great way to teach anyone how to use them in real life.

 

[firbanks]

Makes sense - just getting worried that some of these expired...in the late 1990s...

I just keep them . They will probably work, if for whatever reason I use all the current flares.

 

[firbanks]

Good call...I'll see if some of the oldies are still goodies too.

I used to teach my kids how to use them by firing them off while out in The ocean. It’s ok to do as long as you call the coast guard and let them know you’re doing it. Great way to teach anyone how to use them in real life.

 

[Fanfare]

In 2020 I found a flare dated 1964. I disposed of it by lighting it using its striker. Lit right off! Did this inland to avoid upsetting anyone. On the 4th of July one year I fired an old SOLAS parachute flare which also functioned perfectly. These flares have become so expensive that I bought one of the new electronic strobes last year. Still keep my drawer full of old ones just in case. Hope never to use any.

 

[Avenger]

I just keep them . They will probably work, if for whatever reason I use all the current flares.

Don't count on that.

Not criticising, just using this as a jumping off point.

We had a collection of dozens of flares accumulated over decades. We also had the same problem. How do you dispose of them safely and legally.

My ultimate solution was to take them up to the family compound in the Catskills and use them to celebrate New Year's.

The results were interesting. The short form is anything more than one cycle past the expiration date was unreliable at best.

There's also the legal issue of inspections and expiration dates that I'll leave for another day. Make sure your pyrotechnics are current, and if you want to hang on to the most recently expired set be sure they're clearly marked and separated.

DO NOT trust your safety to aging pyrotechnics.

 

[bigbill]

coast guard told me it was ok to keep them aboard but in an emergency to use the current ones, dont waste time trying to get an old one to light untill you have used all of the current ones

 

[Briankinley2004]

I keep the old ones on board but down below and in a box labeled expired flares. Should I run out of good ones while in distress I figure these will maybe work. I went fishing out of St. Pete last year and the USCG was firing multiple flares from their base out into the bay when we headed out. I don't know if they were practicing or disposing of expired ones but if you have a base nearby they may take them if you don't want them.

 

[Dan Mapes]

I gave a bunch to the local Coast Guard Aux. They were happy to get them so they could use them for training.
However, I never gave away the 25mm gun and flares. It also had an insert for the 12g flares.

 

[whoover]

If you spray the primers with wd-40 that will turn them into duds. I had a bunch of old ones that I fired off into the snow one year, I was surprised how squirrelly they shoot.

Walt Hoover