Marine Flare Disposal Bill One Step Closer to Passing
A marine flare disposal bill was introduced in February in the California Legislature by Sen. Catherine Blakespear, representing Senate District 38 in western San Diego and Orange counties. The bill, SB 1066 — The Marine Flare Producer Responsibility Act — aims to create a program for marine flares to be collected and disposed of in a safe and proper manner, free and convenient to the consumer. The bill has now passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 34-0.
According to Sen. Blakespear’s recent press release, marine flares expire 42 months after manufacture, and each year in California, approximately 174,000 flares expire. However, there are no facilities in California that have the necessary permit to treat or dispose of these flares.
“Flares are important for boaters to have in case of emergency, but we must do a better job of collecting and disposing of them to protect the environment,” Sen. Blakespear said. “SB 1066 sets up a program to make disposing flares as easy as purchasing them to protect the environment, boaters and the general public.”
Local governments report finding flares left in front of fire and police stations or improperly disposed of in the trash. This puts public safety workers at great risk, because an expired marine flare can accidentally explode while being handled. A video shared on the BBC website shows one of the potential dangers of unsafe flare disposal.
SB 1066 shifts responsibility for disposing of marine flares from local government to those who produce them. The legislation requires manufacturers to create a producer responsibility plan for the collection, transportation and safe management of expired flares. The plan must involve a free and convenient statewide collection program with permanent collection sites, as well as a statewide education and outreach program, including prominently displayed and easily visible signs at point of sale and in marinas.
The bill is co-sponsored by the National Stewardship Action Council and Zero Waste Sonoma, and it is supported by 69 organizations, including Californians Against Waste, the California State Association of Counties, Heal the Bay and the League of California Cities. It will now go to the Assembly for consideration.
take a moment and send your congressman and senator an email or a telephone call about this. It is an idea that is long long overdue. and when this is done we need a statewide functioning outdated medication disposal plan as well.
you get the government you deserve
Thanks for the heads up. And for the link to the text of the bill! (sorry I missed “introduced in February”)
I’m all for the proper handling of expired flares and I watched the video. A little off topic (military recycling?) but I get it.
But I think it is a poorly written bill. Although it does put money in California’s pocket and puts one more law on the books. Yay.
And I think it’s on us, not the government. Who is the “PRO”? If it’s not us?
We went electronic, but still have flares that are unexpired. I would want to keep flares for offshore and I don’t know if electronic flares meet requirements in other countries. Can anyone answer that?
Finally politicians might be doing something good, it’s a issue with every boater who has a expired surplus on there boat or in the garage waiting for a way to get rid of them.