Flare Disposal (Non-Fashion Items)

[Nick]

Trying to help the widow of a master mariner I offered to remove some well out-of-date para flares from her garage. Some were dated early 90's with the newest mid-80's. All were still in their original fibreboard containers and wax sealed aluminium caps.
After contacting the polis and coastguard I eventually got rid by taking them to a boat-jumble where a stall-holder was offering a free disposal service. I don't know if he will be caught up in the new arrangements.
If he can no longer take them I would have no problem in collecting TEPs from the Argyll area and dropping them off in Girvan, which is just down the coast from where I live.
Collection by arrangement if anyone is interested.
BTW, are flare-pistol cartridges still available anywhere?

PM sent

[ash]

Interesting thread.

How are TEPs ultimately destroyed? Could the method be replicated on a DIY basis? I assume that they are incinerated in a controlled environment.

I have a pack of flares, still in their polystyrene packaging, which were in the boat when bought, and which will be out of date. They live in the locker under the forepeak, under the toolbox - which probably isn't the best place for them.

I have 1 off each in date hand held and parachute flare stored in clips just inside the companionway. I have an in date smoke on a shelf fairly close to the companionway.

I don't know if I will buy any more, and where I would keep them. In a cockpit locker in a plastic container I suppose. I think that I would be tempted to buy more smoke - they burn for a relatively long time, and they're in the water during use. I accept that they're only of use when I'm in sight of someone else but that is my most likely scenario.

I'm sure that we all have a tin of chocolate biscuits from Christmas - I suppose that we should hold onto the empty tin to use to hold the TEPs whilst we're transporting them to the disposal site.

I have heard of someone, who in that first flush of boat ownership around 1999, set off 2 red parachute flares, which were well beyond their expiry date, on bonfire night. They lived well away from the sea, and the flares were fired off over open, empty countryside. The first one floated down gently, and appeared to be out before it hit the ground. The second one soared to the same height, but fell quickly, and was still burning brightly when it hit the ground – luckily nothing on the rain soaked ground caught alight. This person had been used to firing .22 and .303 rifles so knew all about recoil and action / reaction but was still surprised at the discernable recoil when firing off the flare.

I don’t think that I would now fire off a flare, either in date or out of date in a non emergency situation. I don’t think that the benefit of practise balances the risk – I’m sure that the risk is small, but unless done on a regular basis the benefit of practise will also be small.

We use small pyrotechnics in ‘show business’ but they are fired electrically and remotely and users need to be trained. The guys who use them on a regular basis are very insistent that no one ever leans over a live one.

I don’t think that lasers are the answer – I think that we’re stuck with pyrotechnics – but only used when the danger outweighs the risk. There needs to be a system where all flares are fired in the same way, where they stay in date for longer, where the risk from hot ash, misfires, etc are reduced and where the seller has to take the old unit in exchange when buying a new unit.

Ash

[sahona]

I second your final sentence Ash.

[Gardenshed]

where in Perth can you dispose of flares? (or did I misinterpret an earlier post)

I set some old ones off in rural Perthshire on Nov 5th. An interesting experience. No blue flashing lights or other reactions as there were lots of other pyrotechincs being set off at the same time. It was disappointing how many mis fires there were. Worth doing so that should I ever need to set one off in anger, I've got an idea of what happens.

Also let off an orange smoke flare in the summer. It left a powdery residue across the lawn but went on for an impressively long time.

Ref laser flares: they'd be as much use as teats on a bull in daylight. Hand held reds, red smoke flares and hand held whites are as useful in daylight as they are at night. If there are a few boats around (e.g. should you be unfortunate enough to be in the solent in the summer) a hand held red is the best way for the RNLI to pick you out from the crowd.
Pyrotechnics will be here for a long time yet. They are required as safety equipment for racing and after cursing the cost of replacement, just be glad that your RORC pack didn't have to be used in anger.