en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Singapore government officially implemented the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) on April 1st. This scheme, which had been under discussion since 2020, was finalized last year. This deposit refund system draws on international experience and promotes the recycling of bottles and containers through economic incentives.

In Asia, economies like South Korea and Taiwan, China have been operating similar mechanisms for many years, while China, Japan, and Vietnam have smaller-scale practices. Singapore's deposit refund scheme is managed by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and is a simplified version compared to mature systems in other regions.

Approximately 1,000 automated collection machines have been deployed nationwide, specifically targeting beverage bottles and containers made from PET, aluminum, and other plastics. Future plans include expanding to plastic packaging for cooking oil, food sauces, or cosmetics, but glass bottles are not included for now. Only containers bearing a specific deposit mark can be accepted by these reverse vending machines. A successful deposit yields a 10 Singapore cent refund to the national transportation card, but payments may not be guaranteed for non-compliant items.

An industry professional from waste management commented: "This seems like a modest start; for a population of nearly 6 million, 1,000 machines is not a large number." Since 2014, Singapore has established waste collection points in public housing lobbies, but the recycling rate has remained below 10%, indicating a lukewarm response.

Nevertheless, the new scheme presents opportunities for local recyclers. Cora Environment, Singapore's only producer of flake rPET, has an estimated capacity of about 100,000 tons per year. While production is relatively low, they anticipate obtaining more recycled PET feedstock through the deposit refund scheme. Singapore's plastic waste collection rate is around 6%, showing no significant change over the past four years, whereas recycling rates in other developed economies can be as high as 90% or more.

A former Public Utilities Board official pointed out: "Most of Singapore's waste is collected and incinerated, almost 100%, so the numbers don't tell the whole story." With the implementation of the deposit refund scheme, the collection and recycling of PET and aluminum bottle containers are expected to improve. He added: "This could be a game-changer for recycling in Singapore, so we should watch this space and see how it develops."

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