RBOC and BoatU.S. appreciate the decision of Senator Blakespear to remove her pyrotechnic marine flare extended producer responsibility [EPR] measure [SB 561] from today’s agenda in the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee to enable more time for further conversations to be held with stakeholders on the provisions of the bill.
RBOC and BoatU.S. will continue to be engaged with the Senator, legislative committees, proponents, and the state toxics department over the summer months to develop a practical solution for the safe disposal of marine flares.
We support the intent of SB 561 to address environmental concerns but are concerned about its current structure. The proposed EPR program could impose significant costs on boaters, potentially discouraging the purchase of these critical safety devices. Additionally, we believe the program’s requirements may lead the primary manufacturer of marine flares to withdraw from the California market, reducing access to these essential products.
To address these challenges, RBOC and BoatU.S. have proposed amendments to ensure the program is practical and cost-effective for boaters while maintaining safety and compliance. With these changes, we would fully support the legislation.