Singapore’s beverage container return scheme has been battered with criticisms. Why do we need it?

The scheme could help to improve Singapore’s low domestic recycling rates.

Blue recycling bins filled with non-recyclable trash have become a common sight around Singapore. This contamination has resulted in poor domestic recycling rates in the country, as food and liquid waste thrown into the commingled bins taints the other recyclables.

In 2025, the Republic logged its highest amount of waste disposed of, at about 3.36 million tonnes, up from about 3.33 million tonnes in 2024. This is in tandem with economic and population growth, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

To overcome this challenge, the National Environment Agency on Oct 1 fully implemented its Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) to ensure that plastic bottles and cans are segregated for recycling. But this initiative has also been plagued with complaints.

In this episode, host Audrey Tan chats with Ang Qing and Shabana Begum, environment correspondents at ST, on whether these criticisms are warranted, and whether Singapore should continue pushing ahead with the scheme.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:31 Observations on the ground

6:00 Why we need this 10-cent incentive at this stage?

7:55 Why Singapore needs this scheme now

9:11 Why the blue bin scheme is not sustainable given poorer habits in Singapore

11:05 Why BCRS is worth persevering with

13:00 Observations of current and various recycling operations in Singapore

13:56 Not ideal conditions: Seeing discarded syringes among recyclables

15:35 Shabana on the more automated processes at a BCRS recycling facility

17:25 Qing on the need for the public to sort better upstream

18:25 Behind-the-scenes additional costs that SME retailers face

23:25 Is 10 cents enough of an incentive for the public?