Alameda County, Del Norte County, West Contra Costa County, Marin County, the City of Morro Bay, the Port of LA, the Port of San Diego, and the Make the Electronic Marine Flare Switch campaign have partnered with CalRecycle, and the California State Parks and Coastal Commission鈥檚 California Boating Clean and Green Program to collect expired marine flares and educate residents about marine flare management safety, including the advantages of reusable distress signals, to protect California communities and the local environment.
Residents and boaters berthing their boats in Alameda County, Del Norte County, Humboldt County, West Contra Costa County, Marin County, the City of Morro Bay, the Port of LA, and the Port of San Diego can take their expired marine flares to their county鈥檚 designated marine flare collection events in the fall. Only expired marine flares from residents and boaters berthing their boats in the covered areas will be accepted. No marine flares from commercial craft or an organization nor other forms of household hazardous waste (HHW) will be accepted during the special event. Proof of residence or eligibility is required (i.e., license, registration, or slip fee). See details below or visit for more event details.
Southern California
- Port of San Diego – Saturday, October 26 from 8 AM to 12PM at 2210 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106
- Port of Los Angeles – Saturday, October 26 from 10 AM to 2 PM at Cabrillo Way Marina, 2293 Miner St, San Pedro, CA 90731
- City of Morro Bay – Sunday, October 27 from 8 AM to 12 PM at 1196 Front St, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Northern California听
- West Contra Costa County – October 16 to November 2, 2024, Wednesday to Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM, at 101 Pittsburg Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
- Del Norte County – Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 10 AM to 2 PM at 1700 State Street, Crescent City, CA 95531
- Marin County – Sunday, November 3, 2024, from 8 AM to 12 PM at Clipper Yacht Harbor, 310 Harbor Dr, Sausalito, CA 94965
- Alameda County – Sunday, November 3, 2024, By Appointment ONLY
- Sign up for an appointment:
In the absence of safe disposal options locally, the partners encourage resident boaters to consider an electronic visual distress signal device (eVDSD) as a reusable distress signal alternative to the single-use pyrotechnic marine flare.
The United States Coast Guard (USGC) requires boaters to carry several unexpired visual distress signals on board, day and night. Pyrotechnic marine flares are a common type of distress signal, but they are explosive hazardous waste and contain toxic chemicals, like perchlorate, that pose human health risks. Marine flares only work once and expire 42 months after the manufacture date.
For safety and environmental reasons, it is essential to manage single-use pyrotechnic marine flares carefully. Residents should never throw flares overboard into the environment or out in household trash. However, California resident boaters do not have access to an ongoing expired marine flare disposal program, and recreational vessels generate about 174,000 pyrotechnic marine flares every year, according to the California Expired Marine Flare Working Group as estimated in 2012.
As added incentive to keep local communities and the environment safe, qualified residents are eligible for a FREE, USCG-approved eVDSD for day and night, by Sirius Signal, and a FREE CA Boaters Kit. One per household/vessel while supplies last. This device is available at the event only to residents of Del Norte County (Crescent City, Fork Dick, Gasquet, Klamath, Hiouchi, and Smith River), Humboldt County, West Contra Costa (El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo, Richmond, El Sobrante, Kensington, Crockett, Port Costa, Rodeo, and unincorporated West Contra Costa County), the City of Morro Bay, and the Port of San Diego only, while supplies last. A discount on the eVDSD device is available to residents after the supply of free devices runs out.
The coalition behind these events urge residents to stay alert for future temporary collection events and consider switching to reusable eVDSD.