POTSDAM -- St. Lawrence Health System’s Canton-Potsdam Hospital has launched a new program to assist in the safe disposal of unused medications and used needles.

The Takeaway Medication Recovery System includes a pre-paid envelope to contain unused medications, which are then sent to a certified processing facility for safe disposal.

The announcement of the program comes amid a nationwide opioid epidemic that has not spared St. Lawrence County, where more than a dozen people died of opioid-related overdoses in 2016 alone, according to the Department of Health.

In addition, the hospital has created a flier on other safe take-back options at local pharmacies and police stations, and updated information on its needles and sharps disposal practices.

All information and the Takeaway Medication Recovery System envelopes are available at Patient Registration in Potsdam at the main hospital building at 50 Leroy St. and at the Helen Snell Cheel Medical Campus at 49 Lawrence Ave., and in Canton at the SLHS Medical Office Building, 6119, State Highway 11.

“Keeping unneeded medications at home can be risky,” said CPH Director of Wellness and Sustainability Laura Cordts. “But we also know that improperly disposing of those medications by throwing them away or flushing them can have adverse impacts on our environment and water supply. We hope these programs will help keep our community members safer and healthier, while also safeguarding our environment,” said Cordts.