Singapore launched its beverage container return scheme on April 1, 2026, marking one of the country’s most significant waste management reforms. A 10-cent deposit is now applied to all pre-packaged beverages in metal cans and plastic bottles ranging from 150ml to 3 litres.
How It Works
Consumers pay an additional 10 cents per eligible drink container at point of purchase, which is fully refundable when the empty container is returned at any of the 400+ reverse vending machines or over-the-counter collection points deployed across the island. Major supermarket chains, community clubs, and transport hubs host collection points.
Ambitious Targets
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has set a target of achieving an 80% return rate within three years of launch. Singapore currently recycles only about 13% of its plastic waste and 55% of its aluminium cans. Similar schemes in Norway and Germany have achieved return rates exceeding 90%.
Part of Zero Waste Masterplan
The container return scheme is a key pillar of Singapore’s Zero Waste Masterplan, which aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to the Semakau Landfill by 30% by 2030. Other initiatives include mandatory packaging reporting, food waste segregation requirements for large commercial premises, and extended producer responsibility for e-waste.
Source: National Environment Agency, The Straits Times
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