Marine Flare Disposal

baddogg

Crew Member
This may be an old topic however I am hoping someone may have some new information on how to dispose of expired marine flares.
I am in Nanaimo so places taking them on Vancouver Island would be much appreciated.

Thanks
 
Trotac Marine in Victoria has a one day a year free drop off at their store. This year its April 7th. I'm told the amount they take in on that one day is staggering. NO SMOKING!!!! lol
 
Thanks all. RCMP and fire department don't take them anymore. Harbour Chandler only takes certain types. Will call Power Squadron and if need be I guess a trip to Victoria will be necessary. I have a significant amount.
 
If you have hand held flares just ignite them and drop them overboard right away. Any sky rockets just shoot them right into the water. Good way to dispose if you don't have access to a return facility
 
This is not good advice. Keep looking into return options.

Yup. As I understand it, it is an offense for civilians to set off marine emergency flares except in an actual emergency. Not only could you faces charges, but if you triggered an actual SAR event both Govt. resources and civilian shipping that responded could rack up costs and could possibly come after you to recoup those costs. That said, it seems people fire them off inland on Halloween with the thinking that they can blend them into the fireworks and get away with it. Not that hard to tell the difference, especially with the high flying red parachute flares.
 
I have heard that in the past, Fire Dept. crews, etc. use to take them and sometimes set them off as quote "training exercises" but they I suspect would not be considered civilians, and who would go after them anyway.
 
There is a simpler and safer solution to this: as already said above, call your local Power Squadron and they will guide you to the right direction. :cool:
There’s a reason they do free disposal every year. :D
 
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A link on the Nanaimo Power Squadron website for disposal of flares takes you to the same place as the one I listed above.
 
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