Hazardous waste: Emergency Distress Flare Safe Disposal Act.

Senator Blakespear's Emergency Distress Flare Safe Disposal Act establishes California's first manufacturer responsibility program for marine distress flares, requiring manufacturers to develop collection and disposal systems for these hazardous pyrotechnic devices by 2027.

The legislation mandates that manufacturers, either individually or through responsibility organizations, create comprehensive management plans detailing how they will collect, transport, and properly dispose of marine flares that qualify as household hazardous waste. These plans must include permanent and temporary collection sites, with at least one annual collection event in each coastal county and Lake Tahoe region through 2029. The Department of Toxic Substances Control must review and approve these plans within 90 days of submission.

The act creates the Marine Flare Recovery Fund to finance implementation and enforcement, funded by manufacturer fees covering the department's regulatory costs. Manufacturers must submit annual reports documenting collection data, disposal methods, and program effectiveness. The legislation also prohibits the sale or distribution of marine flares containing perchlorate in California.

Implementation begins with plan submissions in 2027, though enforcement penalties cannot take effect before July 2029. The department must publish approved plans and maintain a list of compliant manufacturers, while protecting confidential business information. Local jurisdictions retain authority to charge disposal fees for flares not covered under approved manufacturer plans.