5.5m bottles and cans returned under recycling scheme, with over one million successful refunds
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Residents have made one million successful returns under the Beverage Container Return Scheme since its launch on April 1.
ST PHOTO: JASEL POH
- 5.5 million bottles and cans were returned via reverse vending machines, with 1 million successful refunds given to consumers since the scheme launched in April.
- Unredeemed 10 cent deposits help cover scheme costs, managed by BCRS, a not-for-profit funded by producer fees and recyclables revenue, with financial reports submitted to NEA.
- The scheme aims for 60% return rate in the first year and 80% in three years, expanding return points and involving eateries to ease bottle returns without extra costs to customers.
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SINGAPORE – Over four months, 5.5 million used bottles and cans have been dropped off at reverse vending machines islandwide, with residents making one million successful returns, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary told Parliament on Aug 5.
He was responding to a question from Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang GRC), who asked for updates on the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) since its launch on April 1, including the amount refunded to consumers who returned used containers.
Under the scheme, customers pay an extra 10 cents for each canned or bottled drink, but get the money back when they drop the used containers into a reverse vending machine, also called a Return Right machine. The payments are made digitally through ez-link cards or DBS PayLah! wallets.
The one million returns refer to transactions in which residents have been successfully refunded 10 cents for every bottle or can returned.
Janil said: “Most transactions and returns at reverse vending machines have been successful. For the handful of issues that occurred at the (machines), the scheme operator BCRS worked closely with the operators to respond quickly to resolve them.”
There have been online reports of residents returning their bottles without receiving refunds immediately due to machine errors. They had to send e-mails to receive their deposits.
Mariam also asked how any non-refunded 10-cent deposits are accounted for and where the money goes. Janil said deposits paid by consumers but not redeemed may be used by BCRS to cover the costs of implementing the scheme.
He said this is a common model adopted in other countries and regions with similar return schemes. BCRS is a not-for-profit company funded through producer fees paid by drink producers and importers, as well as revenue from the sale of recyclables collected.
BCRS is required to submit an annual report, including an account of its finances, to the National Environment Agency (NEA).
The scheme remains in its transition phase until Sept 30, when all bottles and cans from 500ml to three litres must be labelled with the 10-cent deposit mark. According to media reports, about 40 per cent of drink containers in 7-Eleven outlets now carry the labels.
The mix of labelled and unlabelled drink containers has caused confusion among residents, but the six-month transition was put in place to allow drink producers and retailers to clear old stock.
In early 2026, small drink producers and importers were reported to be struggling with the costs and logistics involved in complying with the scheme. Some had said the additional costs and work might force them to raise drink prices by between 25 cents and 60 cents.
Janil reiterated on Aug 5 that drink prices are a commercial decision influenced by multiple factors, including fuel and logistics costs, consumer demand patterns and marketing strategies.
Market players that raise their prices will face direct competition from other industry players given the wide variety of beverages, he added.
Only bottles and cans carrying the 10-cent deposit mark can be returned under the scheme.
PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
Members of the public who notice improper practices among retailers may alert the NEA.
Janil said all 1,070 reverse vending machines planned for the initial roll-out are operational, allowing more than 90 per cent of HDB residents to be within a five-minute walk of a blue return machine. They are placed in void decks and large supermarkets, for instance.
The goal of increasing the number of return points to around 2,000 within the first year of implementation is on track, he added.
All hawker centres will have a reverse vending machine on site or nearby. Many coffee shops are also located within Housing Board estates and will have convenient access to the machines, he pointed out.
Hamid Razak (West Coast-Jurong West GRC) asked how eateries farther from the machines could return bottles more efficiently without passing the cost on to their customers.
Janil said several thousand eateries and restaurants have already signed up for the Return Right F&B scheme, in which the food establishments will handle returns on behalf of customers. They will not charge customers the 10-cent deposit, and customers can leave their used cans at the restaurants.
Within the BCRS’ first year, the aim is to have 60 per cent of bottles and cans in the market returned for recycling. Within three years, the goal is to reach an 80 per cent return rate. The scheme covers more than one billion beverage containers used each year.
