From serial collectors to reluctant recyclers: How Singapore’s beverage container return scheme is shifting habits
Singapore's Beverage Container Return Scheme is nearing the end of its transition period, prompting changes in how citizens recycle. The scheme has incentivized residents to collect and return containers for cash deposits.
Why it matters
The program highlights the effectiveness of financial incentives in driving sustainable waste management and recycling habits among the elderly and general public.
As the transition period for the Beverage Container Return Scheme draws to a close, how has the scheme changed consumer behaviour, and will this translate into better recycling habits in the long run?
Madam Tan Mui Sng, 79, a retiree, feeding a can into a reverse vending machine at the void deck of her housing block in Serangoon on Sep 17, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong)
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