(510) 609-1215
- Dates: October 29 – November 8, 2025
- Days: Wednesday – Saturday
- Time: 9AM – 4PM
- Location: West Contra Costa County Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility
- Address: 101 Pittsburg Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
- For: Recreational boaters residing in RecycleMore’s jurisdiction: Richmond, El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo and unincorporated Contra Costa County (i.e. El Sobrante, North Richmond, Tara Hills, Rollingwood, East Richmond Heights, Bayview, Montalvin Manor)
West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (WCCIWMA)/RecycleMore is taking the lead in protecting local communities and the environment by hosting a FREE marine flare collection event from October 29 to November 8, 2025. Recreational boaters residing in RecycleMore’s jurisdiction: Richmond, El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo and unincorporated Contra Costa County (i.e. El Sobrante, North Richmond, Tara Hills, Rollingwood, East Richmond Heights, Bayview, Montalvin Manor) can safely dispose of unwanted or expired flares at the West Contra Costa County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility at 101 Pittsburg Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801, Wednesday – Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM. Proof of residency is required. Commercial flares and other hazardous waste will not be accepted.
This regional event is part of a larger collaborative effort involving the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC), and the California State Parks & Coastal Commission’s Boating Clean and Green Program. In addition to safe collection, the campaign raises awareness about safer, reusable alternatives like electronic visual distress signals.
By offering this temporary collection event, RecycleMore is helping set a statewide example in hazardous waste management and boater safety. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of this limited-time opportunity to responsibly dispose of expired marine flares.
Boaters in California are required to carry U.S. Coast Guard-approved visual distress signals, such as pyrotechnic marine flares. These flares expire approximately every 42 months and become hazardous waste that must be handled carefully. However, safe disposal is often difficult and expensive, as flares are considered explosives.
Each year, an estimated 174,000 expired flares are generated by recreational boaters in California, yet no statewide permanent disposal program exists. Without proper options, flares are too often tossed in the trash or into waterways, posing serious safety and environmental hazards.