5.5 million drink containers recycled under beverage container return scheme since Apr 1
Deposits which have been paid for by consumers but not redeemed may be utilised by scheme operator BCRS Ltd to cover implementation costs, said Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary.
Consumers need to ensure their empty beverage containers feature the Deposit Mark to claim the full 10-cent deposit. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
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SINGAPORE: A total of 5.5 million empty drink containers have been collected under the nationwide Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) since its launch on Apr 1, with more than one million successful transactions so far.
“We expect this number to grow as more BCRS-labelled products enter the market,” Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary told parliament on Wednesday (Aug 5).
Under the scheme, consumers can return eligible drink containers at reverse vending machines to receive a refund of S$0.10 (US$0.08). These are pre-packaged beverage containers made of plastic or metal, with volumes between 150ml and 3,000ml that also carry a BCRS deposit mark.
Drink containers without the deposit mark will remain available in the market during the transition period until Sep 30, as producers have been given time to clear existing stock. From Oct 1, all regulated beverage containers sold in Singapore must carry the deposit mark.
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Dr Puthucheary, who is also Senior Minister of State for Education, was answering several parliamentary questions on the scheme.
Member of Parliament Mariam Jaafar (PAP-Sembawang) sought to find out the amount of deposits collected from beverage producers and retailers since the scheme began, and the amount refunded to consumers who returned containers over this period.
She also asked how the deposits which are not redeemed are accounted for and whether this surplus is retained by BCRS Ltd, reinvested into scheme operations, or returned to the government.
BCRS Ltd, which is responsible for the collection and recycling of containers on behalf of beverage producers, is the scheme’s not-for-profit operator. It is formed by a consortium of beverage producers comprising Coca-Cola Singapore Beverages, F&N Foods and Pokka.
Responding to the MP’s question, Dr Puthucheary said BCRS Ltd is funded through producer fees and the revenue from the sale of recyclables collected.
“Deposits which have been paid for by consumers but are ultimately not redeemed may be utilised by BCRS Ltd to cover the costs of implementing the scheme,” he said.
“This is a common model adopted in other jurisdictions with similar deposit refund schemes.”
BCRS Ltd is required to submit an annual report to NEA, which includes an account of its finances within three months after the end of each compliance year, he added.
Dr Puthucheary also noted that the consumer price of beverages is a commercial decision influenced by multiple factors, including fuel and logistics costs, consumer demand patterns and the marketing strategies of the producer or retailer.
“Market players who raise the prices of their beverages will face direct competition with other industry players given the wide variety of beverage choices. Nevertheless, members of the public who notice improper practices among retailers may alert the National Environment Agency,” he said.
REVERSE VENDING MACHINES
The government previously announced that 1,070 reverse vending machines will be deployed across Singapore, with over 90 per cent of Housing Board households within a five-minute walk of a machine.
All 1,070 machines have been deployed and are operational, in addition to machines in bigger supermarkets, said Dr Puthucheary.
More machines have been progressively deployed since the launch of the scheme and the government is on track to increase the number of return points to around 2,000 within the first year of implementation, he added.
All hawker centres will either have a reverse vending machine on-site or a machine located close by. Many coffeeshops are also located within HDB estates and would have convenient access to a machine, Dr Puthucheary said.
He noted that most transactions and returns at the machines have been successful.
“For the handful of issues that occurred at the reverse vending machines, the scheme operator BCRS Ltd has worked closely with the reverse vending machine operators to respond quickly to resolve them.”
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Source: CNA/ng(nj)
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