Boat Flare Disposal Event Led by Ocean County Set for Saturday

Boat/marine flares. (Photo: Vivian Matuk, California State Parks and California Coastal Commission)

Ocean County will host its next boat flare disposal event this Saturday, representing one of the rare opportunities for boaters to legally dispose of expired flares.

For years, boaters in Ocean County have expressed concerns that local fire departments, hazardous materials collection services and the U.S. Coast Guard have not accepted expired flares for disposal despite wide demand. Ocean County created the state’s first formal flare disposal program through a pilot last year and received an award for its efforts, leading the county to repeat the event leading into this summer season.

Boaters can dispose of expired flares at the Ocean County Fire Training Center, 200 Volunteer Way, Waretown on Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to noon, the county announced this week.

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The service is free to all Ocean County residents and recreational boaters.

Boaters are urged to check their emergency signal flares’ expiration dates before each season and replace them when necessary. State law requires that all motorized boats over 16-feet in length and boats operated at night in coastal waters have a minimum of three visual distress signals on board for emergency situations. The signals – usually hand-held or 12-gauge fired flares – come with expiration dates and must be replaced periodically.