Forum: Lessons from early operations will help improve beverage container return experience
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We thank Cheong Wing Kiat for his views (Beverage Container Return Scheme may be more trouble than it’s worth, July 31).
Technology alone cannot fully address Singapore’s recycling challenge. The blue recycling bins have a contamination rate of about 40 per cent, which limits how much can be recovered regardless of sorting technologies employed downstream. The Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) complements broader recycling efforts by ensuring beverage containers are returned clean and sorted at source. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is also studying other ways to reduce contamination as part of the ongoing Zero Waste Masterplan review.
During the transition period from April 1 to Sept 30, the public will encounter a mix of beverage containers with and without the deposit mark, as retailers clear existing inventory ahead of full implementation on Oct 1. Over the past months, the proportion of containers bearing the deposit mark has been steadily increasing. From Oct 1, all pre-packaged beverages in plastic bottles and metal cans ranging from 150ml to 3 litres supplied in Singapore must carry the deposit mark.
Some residents, including seniors, may need more time to adapt. NEA and BCRS Ltd will continue to deploy ambassadors at return points, conduct workshops for seniors across active ageing centres (AACs) islandwide and refine the user interface of the Return Right machines based on feedback. BCRS Ltd will also scale up workshops to another 40 or more AACs in the coming months.
BCRS Ltd treats every manual refund case as a learning opportunity. Lessons from early operations are used to improve the return experience, reduce avoidable machine errors, recalibrate container recognition and acceptance parameters, and enhance the refund process.
On scheme finances, BCRS Ltd is a not-for-profit company funded through producer fees and revenue from the sale of recyclables collected. Deposits which have been paid by consumers but not redeemed may be used by BCRS Ltd to cover the costs of implementing the scheme. This is a common model adopted in other jurisdictions with similar deposit refund schemes.
We thank the public for your understanding as we refine procedures ahead of the full implementation on Oct 1.
Stephanie Yip
Chief Executive Officer
Beverage Container Return Scheme Ltd
Chan Chin Kai
Group Director, Resource and Sustainability Group
National Environment Agency
