Flare Disposal

[Pete735]

Went into the coastguard today to dispose of some very out of date flares - 1981!! Fine but I was told that this service will end at the end of this year and when I asked what the new scheme was I was told they have no idea.

I realise coastguard only collect them for bomb disposal people to dispose of, so will this mean that we will have to contact bomb disposal people direct? Any one know?

Apologies if this has come up before.

 

[Rabbie]

I have just been reading an article on this topic in a 1993 PBO. The Coastguard were assuring readers that the matter would be settled 'within a year'. Hm.

 

[uforea]

I took mine to the local Police station who were very helpful, said their firearms people would deal with them.

Ted

 

[dsw]

i got rid of mine on the 5th of november but not near the coast !!

 

[RestlessL]

[ QUOTE ]
i got rid of mine on the 5th of november but not near the coast !!

[/ QUOTE ]

Unlike fireworks, flares are designed to continue burning until they land.

 

[SwedishLass]

Local police took mine, just phoned in advance and disclaimed over counter. Very easy and a much shorter drive than MRCC.

 

[alldownwind]

What we've seen at the CG is a confusing and contradictory note. On the one hand it said that the existing arrangement, where most local CG teams can collect from private boat-owners, will stop at the end of this year. But the note also said that there was a review starting on suitable ways of storing the stuff at local CG stations. (At my station, for instance, there's often enough in an ordinary timber cupboard to take out the entire building!). So it sounds as though the system might continue of problems can be resolved.
Even if the CG were able to continue collecting, they still depend on the services (Navy in our case, don't know if the Army is involved elsewhere) to collect from us and dispose of the stuff.
The CG are well aware that it's a big issue, as I can confirm having been dragged out of bed a number of times to go and look for non-existent distressed mariners after some wassock has let off flares for fun.

 

[Amari]

Is there anything wrong with disposing of them overboard into the briny?

 

[Mariner69]

[ QUOTE ]


Unlike fireworks, flares are designed to continue burning until they land.

[/ QUOTE ]

The flares are designed to burn out before hitting the water; in case of oil on the water being ignited.

I was in the coastal town of Bar, Montenegro for New Year's Eve this year. At midnight there were loads of red flares launched in celebration along with the fireworks.

It struck me that this would be a sensible way of using the out of date flares in the UK.

The odds on a real distress occuring at the same time are extremely low as most yachties will be ashore celebrating and the commercial craft have alternative methods available.

If it was agreed that the flares would only be used from 0000 to 0010 hours then any flare let off after that in proximity to the sea could be treated as real. In the event it was proved to be false then the book could be thrown at the culprit. It solves the problem and allows practise launches to be made.

 

[RestlessL]

[ QUOTE ]
The flares are designed to burn out before hitting the water; in case of oil on the water being ignited.

[/ QUOTE ]

You may know that. I may know that. Unfortunately this flare didn't.

J