Migrant workers in Singapore spotted at Woodlands' BCRS machines; some earn S$160+ monthly due to refunds

SINGAPORE: While some in Singapore don’t seem to be very happy with the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS), a group of migrant workers was seen to benefit from the Return Right programme, as they appear to be able to supplement their incomes through it.

At the recycling machines at the Woodlands Recreation Centre, some migrant workers have shown up carrying big bags of recyclable bottles and cans. According to reporting from Shin Min Daily News, the area has become a "recycling hotspot” as the workers have been coming from their dormitories nearby every night, leading to the need for the machines to be emptied several times a week.

The report said that on Oct 19, more than a dozen migrant workers came with their bags of recyclable beverage containers in a span of half an hour. However, the Return Right machine outside Sheng Siong supermarket happened to be out of order at the time.

The story also said that some migrant workers can reportedly take home as much as S$150 on a good day from returning recyclable beverage containers, while others are able to make S$160 monthly through returning bottles and cans.

However, an employee from a nearby establishment said that she does not use the machines there herself, as they get too full after work each night.

Because the machines are used so frequently, employees from Sheng Siong have been extra diligent in keeping the surrounding areas clean, perhaps because this has been one of the main complaints: some people who’ve come to return the beverage containers have emptied them beside the machines, drawing flies and other insects and also causing unpleasant smells. /TISG

Read also: Singaporean wonders if companies are switching to carton packaging to avoid BCRS