AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   A Maine legislative committee is giving its unanimous approval to a bill designed to make way for safe disposal of expired marine flares.

Democratic Rep. Jay McCreight of Harpswell proposed the bill, which was approved by the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on Monday. McCreight says she got the idea for the bill when a lobsterman from her hometown asked her three years ago what he should do with his expired flares.

McCreight says the lobstermen told her that many people in the lobster business have garages and basements full of the devices, which are explosive. McCreight’s bill would create a program to collect and dispose of them. It’s expected to come up for a vote before the full Maine Legislature soon.