Misuse Prevention

For many years, Cortland Area Communities That Care and partners across the community have been working on opioid prevention. 

This partnership between Cortland Prevention Resources, law enforcement, CACTC and community volunteers is responsible for the disposal of thousands of pounds of unsure prescription medications, in order to ensure they are kept out of the hands of youth and are safely disposed of. There are four permanent take back kiosks at all four police departments and two take back days are planned at 4 community locations each spring and fall. 

Rates of prescription drug misuse in the United States are consistently high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of misused prescription drugs are being obtained from family and friends, including those from the home cabinets.

The Cortland County Drug Disposal Program was created to address this growing concern for unused prescription and over-the-counter medication. When prescription medications are easily available they can be used for purposes other than their original intent, increasing the chances of abuse. Flushing unused medicines down the toilet or crushing them and mixing them with coffee grounds or kitty litter to dispose of them was once the preferred method of disposal. Unfortunately, studies have now found that this method of disposal is no longer safe for the environment.

Sharps Disposal

In 2020, The Cortland County Health Department along with the support of community partners, installed three syringe/sharps disposal kiosks. 

 Who does this impact?

Why is it a problem to throw them in the trash?

Improperly disposed sharps can injure people or pets by causing needle sticks. Throwing them in open trash containers in public restrooms or other locaitons can expose sanitation workers and others to risk.

What are the dangers?

Anytime there is blood-to-blood contact with infected blood or body fluids, there is a slight potential for transmission. The risk of catching a serious infection as a result of an accidental needle stick injury is very low, because HIV, Hepatitis B and C viruses do not survive for long outside of the body.  If exposure occurs it can create a lot of anxiety and concern for the person and there can be considerable time and cost to follow-up with your medical provider.

How can I safely dispose of my sharps?

There are currently 4 Sharps Disposal Kiosks in Cortland County, located at:

• • Village of Homer Police Department: 43 James Street, Homer – outside, on the side of the building
  • City Hall: 25 Court Street, Cortland – outside of the entrance
  • County Office Building: 60 Central Ave., Cortland – in front, to the left of the bus stop
  • Cortland Community Garden: 1 Pierce St, Cortland – near front entrance

Other resources:

• Guthrie Cortland Medical Center also accepts sharps. In order to be accepted, all needles must be placed in a rigid, puncture resistant container with a sealed lid. A detergent container will be appropriate, as long as it has a lid that is securely on the container. The outside of this container must be clean and dry. GCMC does not provide containers to the public. Used needles can be accepted Monday through Friday from 6:00am to 5:00 pm and from 8:00am to 12:00 noon on Saturday in the Laboratory. Questions? Call their Environmental Services at 607-756-3610
• The Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP), with locations in downtown Ithaca and Johnson City, operates a syringe exchange program and does accept community generated syringes. Although they do not have an office in Cortland County, they do offer mobile services and serve clients in/from Cortland County. If you or someone you love is a person living with HIV/AIDS or other chronic medical conditions, such as chronic Hepatitis C, STAP is here to support you and offers a wide range of services.
• Although not the recommended method, sharps can be legally disposed of in the household trash by doing the following: Use a sturdy, leak resistant, and puncture proof empty detergent bottle or bottle made of rigid plastic, mark it to say ‘contains sharps’ ‘do not recycle’, cap it and tape the cap as an extra precaution. Private haulers may have restrictions.