{"id":631635,"date":"2026-09-21T18:04:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T18:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/631635\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T18:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T18:04:14","slug":"bcrs-kicks-in-on-oct-1-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/631635\/","title":{"rendered":"BCRS kicks in on Oct 1: What you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Singapore\u2019s Beverage Container Recycling Scheme (BCRS<\/a>) is approaching full implementation on Oct 1, after a transition period that began on April 1.<\/p>\n

The scheme is designed to increase recycling rates, reduce waste sent for disposal and create a cleaner stream of recyclables.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the full rollout, debate over the scheme continues, with some people going to great lengths to collect large quantities of bottles and cans for the 10-cent refunds.<\/p>\n

Others, meanwhile, have raised concerns over how easy \u2014 or difficult \u2014 it is to return them.<\/p>\n

Stomp visited two Return Right reverse vending machines, one in Sengkang and another in Toa Payoh, in mid-August and returned more than 10 beverage containers without difficulty.<\/p>\n

Scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n

\"BCRS<\/p>\n

Stomp visited this vending machine in Sengkang, and returned four beverage containers smoothly.<\/p>\n

STOMP PHOTO: CHERRY TAN<\/p>\n

As long as the product barcode and Return Right logo were legible, the containers went through the conveyor and were accepted by the machine promptly.<\/p>\n

The refunds were easily processed to the writer\u2019s Paylah account after the machine scanned the writer\u2019s Paylah QR code.<\/p>\n

Attempts to return containers without the Return Right logo were unsuccessful<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Not everyone has had such a smooth experience.<\/p>\n

Stomp reader Daniel Tan said he encountered difficulties when visiting five machines in the Chai Chee area.<\/a><\/p>\n

He described some as \u201cspoilt\u201d, while others appeared to have limited operating hours, with ambassadors on duty for only four hours a week.<\/p>\n

\"BCRS<\/p>\n

Return Right ambassadors were only on duty for a total of four hours a week at these Chai Chee machines.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STOMP<\/p>\n

In an email seen by Stomp in August, he called for a review of the scheme\u2019s operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf (the authorities) are really serious in making BCRS (a success), there is a ready need to relook at the operation method,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

An online survey conducted by Stomp further revealed that 21 per cent of respondents indicated that they have tried but were not successful at obtaining their refunds.<\/p>\n

Some 32 per cent said they had successfully received their refunds through BCRS.<\/p>\n

At least 39 per cent however, said they did not bother returning their beverage containers at all.<\/p>\n

\"BCRS<\/p>\n

Only 32 per cent of respondents had successfully received their refunds via BCRS.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STOMP<\/p>\n

What happens to containers with leftover drinks?<\/p>\n

Apart from whether refunds are easy to obtain, another question that may arise is whether consumers need to rinse their bottles and cans before returning them.<\/p>\n

NEA\u2019s recycling guidelines for blue bins<\/a> currently advise people to rinse and dry recyclables before placing them in the bins.<\/p>\n

However, there appears to be no equivalent requirement for consumers returning beverage containers through Return Right machines.<\/p>\n

During a visit to BCRS\u2019s solar-powered Counting and Sorting Facility on Sept 16, Stomp learnt that the facility has processes to handle residual liquid.<\/p>\n

Containers are first dropped into a screw bunker, where leftover fluids are drained.<\/p>\n

Steel cans are then extracted for recycling, while other containers go through pipes that remove loose labels and help keep them clean and odour-free.<\/p>\n

The cans and bottles are subsequently compressed into bales and sold to off-takers \u2014 companies willing to buy the materials for recycling \u2014 before being turned into new products.<\/p>\n

\"BCRS<\/p>\n

Stomp visited BCRS\u2019 solar-powered Counting and Sorting Facility on Sept 16,<\/p>\n

PHOTO: BCRS LTD<\/p>\n

Some Singaporeans are already cashing in<\/p>\n

BCRS Ltd has described the initial signs as \u201cencouraging\u201d, citing a growing volume of returned containers. The organisation is targeting a return rate of 60 per cent within the first year of implementation.<\/p>\n

Stomp has previously reported on people collecting bottles and cans to earn refunds.<\/p>\n

On Aug 31, Stomp reported on a 53-year-old man who collected empty beverage containers for two months<\/a> and cashed in more than $1,000 at a BCRS machine.<\/p>\n

He estimated that he collected about 100 bottles and cans on Aug 11, and said he usually earned between $10 and $20 a day in refunds, which were credited to his EZ-Link card.<\/p>\n

In another case reported on Sept 10, a nine-year-old boy won praise<\/a> after collecting 200 cans and bottles over two months, earning $20 in refunds.<\/p>\n

\u2018Why should we feel paiseh?\u2019<\/p>\n

But the practice has also sparked debate online.<\/p>\n

A Facebook post in the Complaint Singapore group<\/a> described the sight of seniors and children searching through rubbish for refundable containers as a \u201cstep backward\u201d.<\/p>\n

The user urged authorities to take \u201creal-life people\u2019s hardships into account\u201d when planning environmental policies.<\/p>\n

While some agreed with his concern, others argued that collecting discarded bottles and cans for refunds was nothing to be ashamed of, and cautioned against stigmatising those who do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf nobody (picks) the bottles, who is the one who earning the extra 10 cents? There (are) thousand of empty bottles thrown away every day,\u201d one commenter wrote.<\/p>\n

Another questioned: \u201cWhy should we be made to feel paiseh (embarrassed) if we have a bag of bottles and cans to redeem after a week\u2019s consumption?\u201d<\/p>\n

One netizen pointed out: \u201cPeople picking empty bottles and cardboard have been around for many years, as far as I know, from the 1960s. It\u2019s not a new thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

A BCRS Ltd spokesperson told Stomp: \u201cThe informal sector has been part of Singapore\u2019s recycling landscape for decades and we have no intention of disrupting their long-standing practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hope is that Return Right eventually becomes a natural part of our daily routine that we don\u2019t even have to think about,\u201d the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about helping every Singaporean know that their small individual action is directly contributing to a much larger recycling goal for Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Stomp<\/p>\n

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