Slow start on first day of Singapore's beverage container return scheme; some machines not operational
Singapore Environment Council chairman Isabella Huang-Loh said initial teething issues and minor operational adjustments were to be expected, but that those were “part of any large-scale programme transition”.
A passerby looking at a Return Right machine in Fairprice Xtra in Nex Mall on Apr 1, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Koh Wan Ting)
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SINGAPORE: The first day of a nationwide scheme to recycle used beverage containers got off to a muted start on Wednesday (Apr 1), with eligible containers yet to reach most store shelves.
CNA visited reverse vending machines at 12 locations across Singapore and found that some were not operational or had malfunctioned.
Passers-by stopped to look at the machines out of curiosity, but none used them. A couple attempted to return an empty plastic bottle, only for it to be rejected as the container did not carry the required 10-cent deposit mark.
Others told CNA they did not know how to use the machines and found the existing blue recycling bins more conveniently placed.
The beverage container return scheme (BCRS), where consumers return empty drink containers for a S$0.10 (US$0.07) deposit refund, began on Wednesday.
Managed by BCRS Ltd, it aims to boost recycling rates by adding a S$0.10 charge to eligible beverages: pre-packaged plastic or metal drink containers with volumes between 150ml and 3,000ml. Consumers can reclaim the deposit by returning the container at a reverse vending machine.
A network of more than 1,000 Return Right machines, managed by three operators – TOMRA, RVM Systems and SG Recycle – was launched on Wednesday, but some were down when CNA checked.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
The locations of Return Right machines are listed on returnright.sg, which also shows whether each machine is operational, offline or full.
In Dakota, at least four machines near Old Airport Road Food Centre were down on Wednesday afternoon, and another had an unresponsive touchscreen. A Return Right ambassador was seen in the area taking notes on the affected machines.
Two maintenance staff members from RVM Systems were seen restarting a machine at the void deck of 42 Cassia Crescent, which had been offline earlier in the day. It was later fixed.
At 36 Cassia Crescent, a machine displayed "emergency stop activated" and was unusable, while one outside a FairPrice outlet at 41 Jalan Tiga read "machine is temporarily unavailable" on its touchscreen.
In Jurong, some machines operated by SG Recycle were also down.
One under an Housing and Development Board (HDB) block in Jurong West Street 61 displayed a notice saying the number of rejections had reached its limit: "We are sorry, barcode is unreadable or damaged. Return this to any recycling bin near you." Several empty containers were placed on top of the machine.
Another in Jurong East Street 31 was temporarily unavailable, and a paper notice listing a Return Right ambassador's duty hours was pasted on it.
In response to CNA’s queries, BCRS Ltd said that of the more than 1,000 Return Right machines that went live, a small proportion of units experienced technical issues.
“We are working with our partners to rectify them,” it said.
Singapore Environment Council chairman Isabella Huang-Loh said initial teething issues and minor operational adjustments were to be expected, but that those were “part of any large-scale programme transition”.
“What matters is joint efforts by everyone, including Singapore Environment Council, on consistent education to help people build this as a habit,” Ms Huang-Loh said, adding that the BCRS could result in a cultural shift towards responsibility, resourcefulness and less waste.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary said that nine in 10 HDB households are within a five-minute walk of a return point, with more than 430 supermarkets and retail outlets serving as such points.
Another 160 machines will be added "very soon", and the goal is to deploy 2,000 machines within a year.
He said: "This is a new habit for all of us - consumers, retailers, and operators. We will all have to make adjustments along the way."
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CNA checks at Dakota, Serangoon, Choa Chu Kang and Jurong found no retailers carrying beverage containers with the deposit mark – including NTUC FairPrice outlets, Giant outlets, minimarts and drink stalls at coffee shops and hawker centres.
Some refrigerators stocking canned and bottled drinks displayed stickers informing customers of the S$0.10 deposit.
A Cold Storage spokesperson said its outlets would transition fully to the new containers by July, adding that internal systems have been updated and staff trained. FairPrice Group similarly said its systems were updated and ready for beverages under the BCRS.
Sheng Siong said it is working with suppliers to phase out existing inventory, and that it was not clear when beverages with the deposit mark would be more widely available in the market.
Minimarts and drink stalls told CNA they were unsure when the new beverages would arrive, as it depended on their suppliers.
Mr Thameem Mohamed, an employee at Shop N Save Mini-Mart in Jurong East Street 21, said containers with the deposit mark are set to arrive next month. The minimart will add a 10-cent charge to drinks at that point.
The store has about 120 canned drinks in existing stock to clear. If unable to do so, the beverages will have to be thrown out, said Mr Thameem.
Ms Aileen Ng of Yeo Express Grocery Mart in Choa Chu Kang said the store was waiting for suppliers to bring in the new batches of drinks. She would then need to scan and register the new barcodes into the store's system.
"A lot of work just to get 10 cents", Ms Ng said.
A drink stall at a coffee shop in Yew Tee MRT station was similarly clearing its current stock. Store supervisor Melissa Lee has not heard when the new beverages will arrive, but said the store does not plan to pass on any additional charge to customers.
In a Facebook post, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that containers with the deposit mark will reach the shelves of retailers in coming weeks, with more expected to be available from June. From Oct 1, all regulated beverage containers must have the deposit mark and include the S$0.10 deposit.
Most consumers CNA spoke to were aware of the scheme, but did not know it had started or how to return a container.
At NEX shopping mall in Serangoon, a FairPrice customer who wanted to be known as Mr Woo said the machine might be a challenge for the elderly to use given the technology.
“The idea is not new but the technology is new,” the 66-year-old retiree said, recalling how he used to return glass milk bottles to stores for refunds.
People unaware of the need to rinse or empty containers first might damage the machines, he added. Still, he saw merit in the scheme, as separating containers from other packaging waste reduces contamination risk.
Retiree Janet Tan said she preferred the blue recycling bins due to their convenience. Mrs Tan, 84, who lives in a private estate in Serangoon and gets around with a walking stick, said reverse vending machines were not readily available near her home.
Housewife Yip Yoke Cheng, who spoke to CNA outside the Giant outlet at Serangoon Central, was unsure how the machines worked or how they differed from existing recycling bins in other areas.
For now, the 86-year-old said she will continue washing her containers before placing them in blue bins.
