I was doing some spring cleaning and found some expired flares that the previous owner left for me. Visually the flares look fine (dry with no corrosion) but they are 5-10 years past the expiration date. Any ideas on how to properly dispose of them?
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Coast Guard
Check with your local Coast Guard - sometimes they have a flare day (at least around here) where you can shoot off your old stuff. It's a good way to see what the flares can do, and figure out how to light or fire them before you really need them. Kevin
Check with your local Coast Guard - sometimes they have a flare day (at least around here) where you can shoot off your old stuff. It's a good way to see what the flares can do, and figure out how to light or fire them before you really need them. Kevin
Check this out!
David: Check this out. You may also want to search on the internet and do some of your own research on the subject.
David: Check this out. You may also want to search on the internet and do some of your own research on the subject.
Ross is right
Shoot them off where it s safe and legal. I was surprised at how dim and low some of my old flares appeared. Pretty lame compared to my neighbors fireworks. I keep my old flares a long time and shoot them off only when safe storage becomes an issue. OBVIUOSLY you don't want to shoot them off during a drought in a wood lot or dry brushy field. OBVIUOSLY you don't want to get out at sea and shoot them off where they might appear to be a distress signal. But I do think that properly done shooting off old flares is good practice.
Shoot them off where it s safe and legal. I was surprised at how dim and low some of my old flares appeared. Pretty lame compared to my neighbors fireworks. I keep my old flares a long time and shoot them off only when safe storage becomes an issue. OBVIUOSLY you don't want to shoot them off during a drought in a wood lot or dry brushy field. OBVIUOSLY you don't want to get out at sea and shoot them off where they might appear to be a distress signal. But I do think that properly done shooting off old flares is good practice.
I'm no expert, but...
This is what I did last year. I sorted through all my old flares and pulled about a dozen that showed significant corrosion on the brass casings of the 12 ga. flares and showed any effects of moiture on the handhelds. On an evening after a rain shower, I shot the 12 ga. flares into the ground in a cleared area in my back yard away from any combustables and out about 10 feet from me. Over half fired properly and burned bright. One did not fire at all and the rest fired weakly and fizzled slowly. I lit the handhelds with a propane torch because the strikers were soft and would not work. A couple that showed obvious signs of moisture damage would not burn so I broke them open along with the 12 ga. that didn't fire spread the chemicals and burned them with the torch. I picked up the slag after it cooled and disposed of it. If you are wondering why I had so many old flares, I keep them because I believe that you can't have too many if you are in trouble and I also make it a practice to buy a new set each year so that I don't have to worry about checking barely legible dates to make sure I'm current. I no longer take them out of the packaging as that helps provide a measure of moisture protection. I do trim the cardboard down so they fit in the canister better.
This is what I did last year. I sorted through all my old flares and pulled about a dozen that showed significant corrosion on the brass casings of the 12 ga. flares and showed any effects of moiture on the handhelds. On an evening after a rain shower, I shot the 12 ga. flares into the ground in a cleared area in my back yard away from any combustables and out about 10 feet from me. Over half fired properly and burned bright. One did not fire at all and the rest fired weakly and fizzled slowly. I lit the handhelds with a propane torch because the strikers were soft and would not work. A couple that showed obvious signs of moisture damage would not burn so I broke them open along with the 12 ga. that didn't fire spread the chemicals and burned them with the torch. I picked up the slag after it cooled and disposed of it. If you are wondering why I had so many old flares, I keep them because I believe that you can't have too many if you are in trouble and I also make it a practice to buy a new set each year so that I don't have to worry about checking barely legible dates to make sure I'm current. I no longer take them out of the packaging as that helps provide a measure of moisture protection. I do trim the cardboard down so they fit in the canister better.
Be careful
Be careful shooting them off on land. Some marine flares will continue burning until the hit the surface. Good on water, but can be problematic on land. Take them to your local police department and they will dispose of them for you. Been there done that several times. If you live in a city where the police station has entrance security, you will be better off calling first as they will get a bit nervous if you show up unexpectedly with shot gun shells.
Be careful shooting them off on land. Some marine flares will continue burning until the hit the surface. Good on water, but can be problematic on land. Take them to your local police department and they will dispose of them for you. Been there done that several times. If you live in a city where the police station has entrance security, you will be better off calling first as they will get a bit nervous if you show up unexpectedly with shot gun shells.
Call your fire department or
keep them they still work. This is a lot of BS. Flares NEVER STOP working! They just want you to buy more. It is a load of crap! This is because someone had nothing better to do than decide to make us spend money on flares!
keep them they still work. This is a lot of BS. Flares NEVER STOP working! They just want you to buy more. It is a load of crap! This is because someone had nothing better to do than decide to make us spend money on flares!
Old flares
begin to flake and obsorb moisture. Takes a very long time however they will become intermittent and somewhat dimmer. Even though dated flares are outside of CG regs there is no law says you can't keep them as backup. Hold on to them, dated backup flares are better than no flares if you expend the primaries during an incident.
begin to flake and obsorb moisture. Takes a very long time however they will become intermittent and somewhat dimmer. Even though dated flares are outside of CG regs there is no law says you can't keep them as backup. Hold on to them, dated backup flares are better than no flares if you expend the primaries during an incident.
Waffle...are you for real!!??
Flares DO stop working over time...where on Earth did you ever get that they don't? Flare components absorb moisture over time, as a result they SLOWLY oxidize (not rust...oxidize)...so when you go to use it...it has already been spent (to some degree)...there are less active sites for rapid oxidation (like what happens in new ones). Given the broad range of experience on this forum...giving advice like that is unacceptable...some newbie who doesn't know better, and is in the process of deciding whether to dispose of his old flares might just take your advice, and be caught in a situation that could have been clearly avoided. David...don't listen to Waffle...get new flares and dispose of the old ones...or have fun with them like other's have suggested.
Flares DO stop working over time...where on Earth did you ever get that they don't? Flare components absorb moisture over time, as a result they SLOWLY oxidize (not rust...oxidize)...so when you go to use it...it has already been spent (to some degree)...there are less active sites for rapid oxidation (like what happens in new ones). Given the broad range of experience on this forum...giving advice like that is unacceptable...some newbie who doesn't know better, and is in the process of deciding whether to dispose of his old flares might just take your advice, and be caught in a situation that could have been clearly avoided. David...don't listen to Waffle...get new flares and dispose of the old ones...or have fun with them like other's have suggested.
give em to the chandlery
Give the old ones to the chandlery that you get your new ones from. No need for hazardous waste plants or fire departments... B
Give the old ones to the chandlery that you get your new ones from. No need for hazardous waste plants or fire departments... B
Waffle was just kidding - right???
No sailor would believe what he said, even a newby. He was just trying to stir it up.
No sailor would believe what he said, even a newby. He was just trying to stir it up.
EVryone has always told me keep them
they still work. I have fired off 5 year old flares on the forth of July and they worked fine. I not saying keep 10 year old flare, but fire year old flare? I'll bet they work fine!
they still work. I have fired off 5 year old flares on the forth of July and they worked fine. I not saying keep 10 year old flare, but fire year old flare? I'll bet they work fine!
Old flares
I keep a lot of old flares. Thats one of the things that I don't think you could have too many of. Within reason of course. But three that come in a new pack, is enough to satisfy the coasties, so I keep the old ones on board. Put them in a zip lock baggie to keep moisture out, and they should last far past the expiration date.
I keep a lot of old flares. Thats one of the things that I don't think you could have too many of. Within reason of course. But three that come in a new pack, is enough to satisfy the coasties, so I keep the old ones on board. Put them in a zip lock baggie to keep moisture out, and they should last far past the expiration date.
So you're the jerk who fires them on July 4th.
Doesn't matter that it's totally illegal eh? Flares are to be fired only in an emergency or in a supervised (read Coast Guard etc.) area. Waffle says that everyone tells him it's ok. Uhhh?
Doesn't matter that it's totally illegal eh? Flares are to be fired only in an emergency or in a supervised (read Coast Guard etc.) area. Waffle says that everyone tells him it's ok. Uhhh?
When i Bought what finally became Bietzpadlin
There were three flares and two orange smokes on board. All way past their use by dates, So being the maverick that I am I tested them. They worked! I have all of the flares that I have purchased since August 1999. Visually I can't determine which are the old ones. But just to comply with the rules I buy three new ones as the old ones go obsolete. This year we may burn a few because some of my friends have never popped a flare. When you want to use one it is not the time to start reading the instructions.
There were three flares and two orange smokes on board. All way past their use by dates, So being the maverick that I am I tested them. They worked! I have all of the flares that I have purchased since August 1999. Visually I can't determine which are the old ones. But just to comply with the rules I buy three new ones as the old ones go obsolete. This year we may burn a few because some of my friends have never popped a flare. When you want to use one it is not the time to start reading the instructions.
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