SINGAPORE: In a recent announcement at the Climate Governance Singapore Forum, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor revealed that Singapore’s Beverage Container Return scheme’s launch date has been delayed to another year, April 1, 2026, from the original start date of April 1, 2025.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) explained that the delay was requested by beverage producers to provide them, along with retailers and the scheme operator, additional time to ensure a seamless and consumer-friendly rollout.
The scheme is designed to encourage recycling by offering a 10-cent refund on empty beverage containers, which will be deposited at over 1,000 designated return points across the island.
Beverage Container Return Scheme
Under the new scheme, pre-packaged beverages in plastic or metal containers ranging from 150ml to 3L will see a 10-cent increase in price.
This deposit will be refunded to consumers who return empty containers at conveniently located return points, such as reverse vending machines in major supermarkets. It’s important to note that the 10-cent deposit will not be subject to GST.
The beverage and retail industries will have a three-month transition period from April 1 to June 30, 2026, to clear older stocks that are not eligible for refunds.
Full implementation of the scheme will commence on July 1, 2026, with all beverage containers required to carry a 10-cent deposit and be labelled with the deposit mark.
NEA has awarded a license to Beverage Container Return Scheme Ltd (BCRS Ltd.), a not-for-profit company, to design and operate the scheme.
BCRS Ltd., a consortium of beverage producers including Coca-Cola Singapore Beverages, F&N Foods, and Pokka, will be responsible for collecting, sorting, and recycling beverage containers on behalf of all producers in Singapore from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2033.
The launch date was initially planned for mid-2024 before being postponed to 2025 and now to 2026. NEA mentioned that the consortium required more time than expected to submit a proposal that addressed various operational and business considerations.
Increase Recycling Rate
The scheme’s primary goal is to increase the recycling rate of beverage containers, reducing the amount of recyclable material sent to incineration or landfill.
It adopts an extended producer responsibility approach, making beverage producers accountable for their products’ collection and end-of-life management.
NEA will collaborate closely with BCRS Ltd. to educate the public and industry stakeholders about the scheme and promote a recycling culture among Singaporeans.
An informative website will be launched to provide details on return point locations and to announce educational and promotional events.
As Singapore strives to become a waste-recycling nation, the Beverage Container Return Scheme is a significant step towards achieving higher recycling rates and fostering environmental awareness among its citizens.