The refund is modest—just 10 Singapore cents (roughly 8 US cents) per container under Singapore’s Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS). Yet the public reaction has been intense.
Since BCRS reverse vending machines became fully operational on October 1, social media platforms in Singapore have been inundated with videos and posts criticizing individuals for scavenging bins and causing delays by returning containers in bulk.
The latest flashpoint erupted on October 28, when a post depicting two town council workers returning empty drink cans at a BCRS machine sparked widespread debate.
