# Proper way to dispose of road flares?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 17, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553 "2004-04-17T19:46:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553/1 "2004-04-17T19:46:15Z")

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I have some flares that I keep in my car for emergencies, however, some of them have gotten damp, and the package actually says to replace them after 3 years. I’m don’t think I should just toss them in the garbage can…

Does anyone happen to know a safe way to get rid of these things?

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**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553/2 "2004-04-17T19:53:39Z")

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Next time you have a patio party set them out in the yard, which among other things will keep the insects away. 😉

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553/3 "2004-04-17T19:56:12Z")

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Speak to your local fire brigade. Or, if you have an army base nearby, ask to speak to someone in bomb disposal (be careful how you phrase the request!)

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**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553/4 "2004-04-17T23:57:09Z")

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- 
  - 
    - The usual way I have heard is to soak them in motor oil for a week or two and then just toss them in the regular trash. The coating of motor oil pretty much reduces their “explosiveness” to near-zero. They will still _burn_ if incinerated, but only in a similar way that something like wood will burn.  
~

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553/5 "2004-04-18T23:13:51Z")

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July 4th is less than 3 months away. 🙂

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**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-way-to-dispose-of-road-flares/240553/6 "2004-04-19T03:05:35Z")

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Thanks for the suggestions, folks. Since there’s a fire station just around the corner from me, I think I’ll take **qts** ’s idea and drop by there.

Not that I wouldn’t want to light them for fun, or even scaring off insects, but I think my wife might have a small problem with that…