Flare disposal under scrutiny
The method of disposal of out of date flares in the UK is under review. Currently, the onus is on boat owners to get rid of old flares, usually by returning them to the supplier when buying new ones, or by paying for them to be safely disposed of.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) does offer a free 'last resort disposal service' at a handful of locations,but now the Department for Transport (DfT) is reviewing the scheme. This is because the MCA’s contract with the firm tasked with collecting and disposing of flares will end in 2020.
The DfT has already met with key stakeholders, such as manufacturers, to look at alternative disposal methods. A wider consultation will be held later this year.
The disposal of out of date flares used to be provided by HM Coastguard before it was scrapped when the Ministry of Defence stopped collecting them in 2009.
In the UK, only coded boats, such as charter and training vessels, and owners of boats over 45ft are required to carry flares. The majority of cruising sailors are not required to carry them – but many still do.
The RYA believes that, with the advances in technology, flares are now outdated and the requirement to carry them should be re-considered.
The association’s cruising manager, Stuart Carruthers said the MCA was “years out of date” with their mandatory requirements for the carriage of flares, especially in light of available modern technology, such as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and an Electronic Visual Distress Signal (EVDS).
“This consultation starts with the premise that the cruising yachtsman believes that flares are essential and that therefore
there must be a way to get rid of them, but people should not be encouraged to carry pyrotechnics as a primary means of distress alerting.
“Flares are obsolete, potentially ineffective and in the wrong hands they’re downright dangerous. Boaters should carry something which pinpoints their location and can raise the alarm effectively,” he stressed.
Carruthers added that many sailors were reluctant to use flares and that, unlike most modern technology, there was no guarantee that a flare would even fire or then be spotted by a passing ship or someone from the shore.
In a statement to PBO, the MCA said its policies on flare usage were based on the importance of identifying a casualty was in distress and pinpointing their location. It urged sailors to make sure they had several ways of calling for help and highlighting their position, so the most appropriate could be activated in an emergency.
The MCA also stressed that it monitors and debates advances in distress alerting technology and regularly communicates with the boating industry, including the RYA.
It added that the suitability and associated risks of EVDSs are covered in Marine Information Notice 54.