In the US and maybe Canada - https://www.boatingsafety.com/blogpost/1828549/352146/Finally-a-Way-to-Dispose-of-Expired-Flares
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
So still no proper way to do it according to the article.
How do electronic flares work and compare to pyrotechnic , and do they expire as well?
Brian Cayer
Spirit~Wind
N30U 419
Westbrook, Ct.
In Canada we take to local RCMP station
NOTE you tell them first you have flares in your car they come out and get them SECURITY I guess!
Safe Sailing
Cedric. Single Malt
26C #207
Chester NS
The electronic emergency distress signal is a USCG approved replacement for flares. If subject to a safety inspection, the electronic beacon is acceptable IF IT WORKS (e.g., replace the two D-cell batteries annually). It does NOT expire. The electronic signal is only visible in low light conditions so an orange distress flag must be carried for daylight use. The two electronic signal manufacturers include the orange flags with their products.
It appears to be more complicated in the U.S. than I’d thought – apparently the United States are not always as united as they could be, so there are differences across jurisdictions.
I’d urge U.S. Nonsuchers to contact their local fire department and hazardous waste disposal centers as the two best options for information in your area.
U.S. information about Visual Distress Signals, including electronic flares, can be found at: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/CG-ENG-4/VDS/
In the U.S., the rules are: “This is an alternative to flares as a nighttime distress signal for recreational boats. It is required to be laboratory tested to meet specifications including an automatic flash sequence for S-O-S, light intensity/direction, and battery power duration. Electric S-O-S distress lights are self-certified by the manufacturer.”
I’m most familiar with the Sirius line of products, which they have self-certified as acceptable replacements for pyrotechnic flares by both US Coast Guard and Transport Canada standards. See: https://siriussignal.com/uscg-compliance/
As that site says, “an electronic visual distress signal device (eVDSD) is a handheld device that must automatically flash the International Morse Code for S-O-S and float in the water. The eVDSD are approved for nighttime use only…”
Expired pyrotechnic flares are considered unsafe explosive materials. Electronic flares do not expire in that sense, but they are battery-powered and therefore you must replace the batteries when those expire in order for them to continue to operate effectively.
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch e26U #233
Marina del Rey, California
In the U.S. you might consider on July 4th Independence day taking hand flares to a sandy beach and setting them off. Like wise shooting a gun fired flare to a remote section of the harbor away from other boats and fire it off as others are setting off their roman candles and other fireworks. This does two things.1) gets rid of outdated flares and 2) gives a valuable lesson on how the flares actually work in a non stress condition. Learning how to use the flares while in an emergency does not provide the best place to learn how these flares actually work. 
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
Long Island
I did some work related to disaster readiness and response during my checkered career. My contact with professionals in those areas leaves me convinced that no one has ever in the history of mankind responded to an emergency by opening and reading a manual. Practice is a very good thing.
So, I certainly agree that it’s better to know how to operate flares beforehand if that’s the available emergency equipment. That said, I have to put forth some concerns.
In many jurisdictions, it’s illegal to fire pyrotechnics in any non-emergency situation. In others, it varies from advised to required that practice firings are coordinated with local authorities. The concern is both to avoid both the risk of the flare triggering a false emergency response, and the risk of it coinciding with – and therefore masking – an actual emergency.
In addition, over and above the legalities, it’s important to consider the risk that the sandy beach or remote section of the harbor which one thinks is deserted and perfect, in actuality may not be. It’s very easy to miss something, and any location may still contain people or property that are hard to spot.
For example, where I live, we have a lot of people with the misfortune to be homeless. Many of them have a strong interest in being in deserted places where they’re hard to spot. Ditto young lovers, for that matter. I have no strong interest in killing, injuring, or frightening members of either group.
There’s definitely a tension between the need for practice using flares vs. it being hard to find safe, legal practice opportunities to practice using them.
This is why I’m a strong advocate for switching to the new electronic visual distress signals. They’re safer to have on board, avoid the disposal problems, provide high visibility signals for far longer, and are need far less training to safely deploy in an emergency. ACR, Sirius, and Orion manufacture electronic distress signaling devices that can be found at most marine stores for prices comparable to a basic flare gun kit (all somewhat under $100 USD).
It’s a large and varied world, so I’m not saying what everyone should do. Just trying to lay out some considerations.
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch e26U #233
Marina del Rey, California
Bob
If you are on a sandy beach using hand held flares you will certainly know if there are people around. You should also be standing around until it is extinguished and remove it. I’m not suggesting that you just light a hand flare and run away or just throw it into a nearby bush. Common sense should prevail in where you use them. It’s common sense you don’t light a flare in a crowded beach area or homeless persons encampment. Finding an empty area away from any crowds is not that hard. People light fires on beaches and spend hours gathering around it.. Spending a few minutes watching an out of date flare burn while learning how it behaves should not be a threat to anyone in the area. Especially on the Fourth of July when the sky is already filled with more impressive pyrotechnics from amateur and professionals. I do agree that a switch over to electronic signaling is a better choice once you have gotten rid of the outdated flares on board.
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
Long Island
I bet Bob is going to have to drive a long way to find an uncrowded beach on the 4th of July in Southern California.
And I avoid them all on the 4th, so I don’t know what enforcement is like down here.
We lived for ten years within a few hundred feet of the beach in Manzanita, Oregon, and I’m sure your plan would work there. That beach is crowded on the 4th; the city does a fireworks show on the beach and it is preceded and followed by extensive private displays. I can imagine asking someone from the fire department (they used to be the main presenters) if you could shoot yours off inside of their cordon. That would keep everyone safe, and it seems like those volunteer firefighters like things that blaze and bang even more than the average citizen.
Brian, San Diego
I like the idea of firing off a few old flares in a controlled environment to experience the process. I mean it’s not like the Man has come up with a viable alternative is it.
Brian Cayer
Spirit~Wind
N30U 419
Westbrook, Ct.
Everyone has to assess their local conditions.
For further information on this topic in my area, see also, “Sometimes I wonder about my neighbors…”
My remarks were particularly aimed at signal flares that are fired in the air rather than handheld flares, which obviously affect things only in a much closer radius.
Still recommend electronic visual distress signals, though.
For further information on this topic, see also, “Sometimes I wonder about my neighbors…”
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch e26U #233
Marina del Rey, California
Fireworks are designed to burn up 50’ or even many hundreds of feet up in the air. I have seen boating people launch distress flares while anchored at crowded shoreline fireworks displays. These have mini parachutes to maximize air time and can land in the water still burning. Big problem if they land on someone’s boat anchored nearby.
Bob
I thought the hand held flares were more dangerous than the flare gun. Assuming one knows to only point the flare gun skyward. When I lit my expired hand flares on the beach. I placed them in a large coffee can. I did not hold them in my hand. I was amazed how much hot slag dripped from them and how the flame would melt and cut through the metal of the coffee can as it burned down. It was a lesson for me to always wear gloves and hold the hand held flare over the side if I needed to use them on the boat for signaling. Dropping it inside the boat would burn through a fiberglass deck pretty fast. Another reason to go to electric signaling IMO.
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
Long Island
Hand held flares are more dangerous to the user. Flare guns are more dangerous to others.
I personally believe that we all have more standing to decide what risks we will subject ourselves to than we do to decide what risks we’ll impose on others. To the extent that I come down harder on care practicing with one vs. the other, that was the consideration.
What I like about electronic visual signals is that risk assessment becomes a non-issue. No one has ever damaged property or lengthened the line at an emergency room by practicing flipping an electronic visual signal switch.
For more information: https://www.practical-sailor.com/safety-seamanship/distress/distress-flares-go-electric
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch e26U #233
Marina del Rey, California
I actually have one of those electronic flares. We adopted them pretty quickly on the PNW rivers because of the likelihood of harming someone on the bank or starting a fire if a flare is mis-aimed during the excitement of an emergency. But we were also aware that the high-flying arc of a flare is a much more obvious sign of an emergency than a hand-held electronic version which resembles many other light sources.
So in part the decision comes down to how much personal risk you are willing to take to be socially responsible and to reduce liability exposure.
I’ve also got one of those ACR personal rescue beacons. It’s meant to attach to a life jacket and I got it when I thought I was going to sail the boat down from Alameda to San Diego. I figured it would be a very good thing for the night watch to wear. (It would also be smart for single-handed sailors to wear.) I don’t wear it for normal sailing, but I keep it strapped to the pole next to the chart table. It is very easy to actuate, so it is part of the training when I bring someone new along. It isn’t an EPIRB, but if I fall overboard and they don’t know what else to do it will bring help.
Brian Godfrey
Vela, NS33 #77, San Diego
In Practical Sailor tests, flares were visible at a greater distance but obviously did not last as long. In windy day conditions, smoke signals dissipated too rapidly to be as effective as simply flying a distress flag. In light or no air, smoke flares worked well while flags hung too limply to be seen.
As Brian points out, there’s clearly a set of trade-offs to consider depending on circumstances.
The electronic visual signalling devices flash the Morse Code signal for S-O-S. This is intended to be distinctive from other light sources (assuming the people who see it are knowledgeable enough to note the distinction). Newer, slightly more expensive, models now flash this in alternating colors as opposed just white. In addition to being even more distinctive, I have the impression that this makes them easier to detect via night vision systems.
Visibility is supposed to be up to 10 nautical miles and batteries last 6+ hours of continuous flashing. Light signals are visible at the widest range of angles when the device is hung to stay level.
A secondary alternative light signal for indicating distress is supposed to be a strobe flashing 50-70 times per minute. I haven’t checked whether that distinguishes you from a party boat or not, although I’d certainly hope it did.
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch e26U #233
It seems the Sea Tow programme has been put on hold. I had handheld flares and a gun that came with my NS22 when I bought it last year. I could not find an expiration date anywhere but I did not want them in any case. I called my county fire department (Henrico County, VA) and was able to drop them off. They said they would either dispose of them or donate them for training purposes.
Christian Pastore
NS22 #47, Magic Time
Deltaville, VA
If you are anywhere near Victoria BC the RCAF station has a drop box for expired flares at the front door.
I’d check with the local coast guard…