County O ers Free Boat Flare Disposal

By Bob Vosseller

OCEAN COUNTY – Noting the approaching boating season, county officials announced a new program to properly dispose of old boat flares.

The program will take from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 6 at the Ocean County Training Center, 200 Volunteer Way, Waretown. Flares will be accepted from Ocean County residents only. Flares from marinas and businesses will not be accepted. There will be 600 appointments available and residents can drop off a maximum of 10 flares. Program participants are asked to remain in their vehicles at all times. Registration is required and can be done online at the Solid Waste Management homepage: co.ocean.nj.us/recycle or by calling 732- 506-5047.

“Ocean County has a very large boating community and we want to offer boaters a free program that allows them to dispose of old boat flares properly,” said Ocean County Commissioner Barbara Jo Crea. “While all boaters are required to carry flares on their boats for safety reasons, there are very few if any avenues to dispose of them safely. This pilot program will be the fi rst residential program to dispose of marine flares in New Jersey.”

The United States Coast Guard requires all boats on intercostal and inland waters to carry a means of distress signaling suitable for night use. Regular flares are sold in packs of four and expire every four years.

This program is being administrated by the Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Ocean County Training Center which houses the Ocean County Fire Academy.

Agencies consulted during the planning process include the U.S. Coast Guard, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New Jersey State Police, Marine Services Bureau, fi re academies in Ocean County including Toms River and Brick Township, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Marine Trades Association of New Jersey, Sea Grant New Jersey, and other coastal communities throughout the United States including Annapolis, Maryland and California.

The county received a Research, Development & Design (RD&D) permit from the NJDEP to develop the program. An open burning permit was also issued by NJDEP to comply with air quality regulations.

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