Healthcare facilities and reverse distributors have had difficulty in complying with the regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) because the regulations have mainly been designed for manufacturers and other industrial facilities.
In addition, a number of studies have documented the presence of various pharmaceutical active ingredients and metabolic by-products in surface waters and groundwater in the U.S. These pharmaceuticals entering the environment, through flushing or other means, are having a negative effect on aquatic ecosystems and on fish and animal populations. These findings led EPA to prohibit disposing hazardous waste pharmaceuticals down the drain.