Singapore is planning to deploy 1,070 reverse vending machines (RVMs) nationwide by 1 April under its new beverage container return scheme (BCRS).
The network, launched under the “Return Right” initiative by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and scheme operator BCRS, marks a major step in the city-state’s push to improve its domestic recycling rate, which reached a record low last year – at just 11 per cent.
The country’s first extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework for beverage packaging is designed to raise collection rates and extend the life of its only landfill, a purpose-built trash island that is projected to be full within a decade.
More than 430 supermarkets and retail outlets, 610 town council-managed sites and 17 high-footfall hawker centres will host the RVMs, which will accept plastic and metal drinks containers in exchange of a 10 Singapore cents (US$0.08) deposit via an EZ-Link smart card or a mobile app. The EZ-Link card is a contactless stored-value card in Singapore, primarily used for public transport and small retail payments.
The network is to expand further in the coming months, with additional units planned for institutes of higher learning, industrial zones and migrant worker dormitories. The government is aiming to double the number of return points to 2,000 within the first year.
Singapore is aiming to roll out 2,000 reverse vending machines within the first year of the Beverage Container Return Scheme. Image: NEA
Consumers can locate nearby machines via the Return Right website from 18 March, which also shows future deployment sites. The dense coverage is designed to normalise recycling behaviour by making returns convenient, a key factor in improving collection rates for plastic bottles and aluminium cans, NEA said.
The machines, operated by industry partners including TOMRA, RVM Systems and SG Recycle, will accept eligible beverage containers bearing a deposit mark. Despite differences in hardware, the authorities say the user experience will be standardised across all machines.
The system will be supported by daily collection and maintenance to ensure continual uptime, alongside digital features that allow users to check machine capacity and operating hours. Return Right ambassadors will be deployed at selected locations to assist the public during the initial rollout phase.
NEA has introduced measures to ease the transition for beverage producers, including a Producer Transition Grant of up to S$2,500 (US$1,950) and regulatory concessions for smaller importers, such as simplified registration requirements.
BCRS has indicated that it will reach out to Singapore’s informal waste collectors, most elderly workers known locally as karung guni, to ensure how they can use the system, which is cashless. Many karung guni still trade in cash only.
Remi Cesaro of consultancy Zero Waste City suggested the scheme could also allow bulk returns at designated points – which would enable collectors to bring in large quantities of bottles at once.
As Singapore embarks on the scheme, authorities say ongoing monitoring of return patterns and public feedback will guide future expansion.
BCRS is targeting a 60 per cent return rate in 2026, rising to 80 per cent by 2029. Experts have told Eco-Business that reaching these levels will depend not only on a dense network of return points but also on consumer education, transparent reporting of collection data, and fair handling of fees for retailers.
Pushback expected
Lionel Dorai, executive director of Zero Waste SG, said he expects some pushback against the scheme, noting that Singapore has historically prioritised convenience through centralised waste collection and a reliance on cleaners.
“It does take more effort to return a container than to simply throw it away. But with consistent education, clear messaging, and strong community support, consumer behaviour can shift over time,” he told Eco-Business.
Producers, too, have not traditionally been responsible for the waste generated in Singapore and have raised concerns about the costs of the BCRS. However, Dorai said the scheme should be framed as a necessary investment in environmental protection and in building more sustainable, conscious brands.
Local retailers, including food and beverage outlets, supermarkets, and shopping malls, will also need to navigate operational challenges such as space constraints and increased footfall at return points, he added.
BCRS is Singapore’s first extended producer responsibility scheme for beverage bottles, complementing an existing scheme for electronic waste introduced in 2021.
Dorai said the next step is to encourage consumers to develop the habit of properly separating their waste. Currently, most rely on centralised recycling bins, which suffer from high contamination rates – an issue that must be addressed if Singapore is to move towards a multi-stream recycling system.
To support this shift, Zero Waste SG launched the “Sort It Out” campaign in 2024, aimed at encouraging residents to separate their waste more effectively and complement the rollout of the BCRS.
