Public can use ez-link card to get 10-cent refund when recycling drink bottles, cans from April
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About 1,000 return points, comprising mainly machines, will be set up islandwide by April 1 when the scheme begins.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
- Singapore launches a Beverage Container Return Scheme on April 1 where residents get 10 cents back for recycling bottles/cans using EZ-link cards at reverse vending machines.
- Initially, 1,000 machines will be available, doubling to 2,000 within a year, primarily at supermarkets and HDB estates, ensuring accessibility for residents.
- Smaller producers face compliance cost issues. A one-time NEA grant of up to $2,500 is given, and a six month transition period has been allowed.
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SINGAPORE – From April 1, residents can tap their ez-link cards at vending machines to retrieve their 10-cent deposits
The ez-link cards, which include student and senior concession cards, will be a main refund method under the upcoming Beverage Container Return Scheme, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary on Jan 30.
About 1,000 return points, comprising mainly machines, will be set up islandwide by April 1 when the scheme starts. Within a year, the number will double to 2,000 to increase accessibility, he added.
The machines will be placed at supermarkets, HDB void decks and town centres, among other high-footfall areas. This ensures that 90 per cent of residents in HDB estates will be within a five-minute walk of a return point.
For those who do not use ez-link cards to pay for transport, other digital payment methods will be announced soon.
Under the programme, customers will pay an additional 10 cents in refundable deposit for bottled and canned drinks ranging from 150ml to 3 litres. Most of the return points will be “reverse” vending machines, which will take in empty containers and dispense money in return.
Speaking at the opening of the new office of Norwegian reverse vending machine company TOMRA, Dr Janil acknowledged that the new scheme will require the public to adjust their habits and this may cause inconvenience for some.
“Consumers will need to get used to returning containers at designated return points, learn how reverse vending machines work and adjust our routines,” he added.
“This may take some time and every effort counts in protecting our environment for future generations.”
The scheme’s operator, Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) Ltd, will publish guides and videos in March to help people understand the return process, he said. Each reverse vending machine will have instructions in all four languages.
“Starting in February, we’ll be reaching out to grassroots organisations, schools, youth groups, non-governmental organisations and corporate partners to share how the scheme works and why it matters,” he added.
It is still uncertain how the return process will work for coffee shops and restaurants. Dr Janil said discussions are under way with coffee shops and small retailers to address concerns about the scheme.
TOMRA, one of three reverse vending machine operators under the scheme, will be setting up at least 350 machines in the central and north-east regions.
TOMRA, one of three reverse vending machine operators under the scheme, will be setting up at least 350 machines in the central and north-east regions.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
At the event on Jan 30, the company unveiled two types of machines that will be installed at supermarkets and other places such as town centres and residential buildings. Each of the smaller machines can crush and hold up to 1,000 containers, and each of the larger ones can store 2,000.
If even larger machines are needed in the future, TOMRA may consider installing container-sized machines that can hold around 8,000 bottles and cans each.
TOMRA, which in Singapore started out in a technology showroom in Ang Mo Kio in 2022
The company said it will cover the regular cleaning and maintenance of the machines, and the transporting of the cans and bottles, in partnership with cleaning company Chye Thiam Maintenance.
Swedish company RVM Systems will supply reverse vending machines in the east, and SG Recycle will install them in the west and the north.
All the recyclables will be transported to a sorting and counting facility being set up by BCRS Ltd and waste collector Cora Environment.
The two types of reverse vending machines revealed by TOMRA at its new office.
PHOTO: The Straits Times
Although the new scheme is run by BCRS Ltd, it is funded by fees that producers – companies that manufacture, import and distribute drinks – have to pay each year.
Dr Janil noted that there will be teething issues and adjustments will need to be made along the way for the scheme to be effective.
The scheme caused a stir over the past weeks when smaller producers were reported to be struggling with the costs and logistics involved in complying with the scheme.
Compliance costs include a one-time registration fee of $500 and a 10-cent deposit for each drink container put on the market.
Importers also need to pay for deposit marks and barcode stickers that are manually pasted on imported drinks. Some smaller producers said the additional costs and work might force them to push up their drink prices by 25 cents to 70 cents.
On Jan 20, the National Environment Agency said it would give producers a one-time grant of up to $2,500 some smaller producers found the grant insufficient
The machines will be placed at supermarkets, HDB void decks and town centres, among other high-footfall areas.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Dr Janil said: “We recognise that this transition requires adjustment on the part of all producers. (They) will need to change labels, modify supply chains and introduce new barcodes and deposit markings. These are complex changes.”
He added that the authorities will be flexible and supportive to producers who reach out to BCRS Ltd for help, without divulging further details.
The scheme will cover more than one billion drink containers each year, allowing Singapore to recover more than 16,000 tonnes of material annually.
Dr Janil said: “Just as we adjusted to reusable bags and the tray return scheme, I am confident that, with time and understanding, this scheme will become part of our daily routine.”
