Disposal of old flares

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paulburn

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I've got a few packets of old flares I'd like to get rid of.

Chandlers won't take them (only exchange them).
Coastguard I think accept them on occasional days of the year, but not practical for me living inland.

What should I do with them ?!
Is there some EU/UK legislation that deals with this ie provision of a facility for disposing of explosive items ?!
 
paulburn said:
I've got a few packets of old flares I'd like to get rid of.

Chandlers won't take them (only exchange them).
Coastguard I think accept them on occasional days of the year, but not practical for me living inland.

What should I do with them ?!
Is there some EU/UK legislation that deals with this ie provision of a facility for disposing of explosive items ?!
Click to expand...

Id not do it with rockets or a whole load at once but buried in bonfire they will burn without you knowing anything about it.
 
Someone who is less responsible would set them off after the result of the referendum is out, either in celebration of the outcome... or at those who are celebrating another outcome that differs from his! ;)
 
You could also try contacting you local household waste disposal site. Some place have facilities for receiving hazardous waste and might be able to deal with your flares. My sister in law used to work for a company running the sites for Wrexham council and she was delighted to take my flare off my hands as it 'would give them something unusual to deal with'. Sadly, she no longer works for the company, so I have to phone the local MRCC who kindly take them off my hands (there are advantages to living in Falmouth).
 
VicS said:
Id not do it with rockets or a whole load at once but buried in bonfire they will burn without you knowing anything about it.
Click to expand...

Utterly stupid idea. They can and do explode, I've seen a piece of improvised fragmentation from the casing of a flare treated in exactly this way by an idiot break a 2in tree branch off, thank goodness it hit that and not flesh.
 
For what it's worth, I've got rid of hand flares by setting them off and then dropping them into the bin full of water I use for flushing the outboard. They carry on burning at the bottom of the bin, but the water catches all the smoke.

Rockets are more of a problem.

Pete
 
Just got rid of a big box of out-of date flares which were on our boat when we bought it. Rockets, parachutes and smokes all accepted over the counter at our local police station. Incident number created and firearms officer came round on Wednesday to collect 2 boxes of Very pistol cartridges. No charge. Amazing. Can't see it lasting. Learned of this service when I had to clear a deceased relative's house and in the loft found a pistol, several rounds of ammunition for same, and a standard 1950s British Army hand grenade.
 
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