Peterborough County OPP is reminding boaters that expired flares must be disposed of safely and replaced in accordance with the law.
According to Constable Joe Ayotte, flares must be clearly marked as Transport Canada approved and must not have expired. Flares, he adds, are approved for four years from the date of manufacture.
That said, Constable Ayotte notes that even if flares are expired, they can be still used providing they are stored safely and your boat is equipped with non-expired flares as well.
OPP marine enforcement, he says, isn’t revealing a lot of flare expiry problems.
Constable Ayotte says if you miss the opportunity to dispose of your flares at a location where that can be done safely, you should store them in a cool, dry place away from flammables until you can have them safely disposed.
He adds checking flares regularly and replacing them before their expiry date is best practice.
