NEA to take action against those who rummage through trash in public: Grace Fu
As more people in Singapore have taken to returning bottles and cans at Return Right machines across Singapore, many have been seen foraging in public for these refundable containers so they can earn cash.
But rummaging through public refuse bins and removing items from them is actually against the law, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Tuesday (6 Oct).
Source: Zac Price via Complaint Singapore on Facebook
Unhygienic BCRS practices flagged in parliamentary question
Ms Fu was replying to a parliamentary question posed by East Coast GRC MP Hazlina Abdul Halim, who asked how the authorities would prevent “unhygienic practices” under the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS), which operates the machines.
Actions that she flagged included rummaging through rubbish bins and pouring leftover drinks onto public walkways.
Only empty containers are supposed to be returned at Return Right machines, so users should ensure their containers are empty before returning them for the S$0.10 deposit each.
Public urged to keep shared spaces clean
Ms Fu said it was against the law to rummage through public refuse bins and remove items from them.
It is also illegal to leave or spill waste on the ground, she noted.
She urged members of the public to do their part in keeping shared spaces clean, adding:
The National Environment Agency (NEA) will take action against those who have committed these offences.
Source: MDDI Singapore on YouTube
No plans for dedicated liquid-disposal facilities at BCRS machines: Grace Fu
Ms Hazlina also asked whether separate collection holders and facilities for disposing of liquids will be provided at locations that see high usage of machines.
But Ms Fu said that there are “no plans” to provide dedicated liquid-disposal facilities at the machines.
This is because “most users exercise responsible behaviour” and return beverage containers that are empty, she added.
People seen rummaging through trash in public
The parliamentary exchange came as images circulated across social media of people rummaging through trash in public for empty containers.
One of the photos, uploaded in the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, purportedly showed a father and son digging through dustbins looking for BCRS-accepted containers.
Source: 正煌 via Complaint Singapore on Facebook
This led netizens to question whether the practice was hygienic, considering the germs that could spread.
People seen returning bags of containers
People have also been seen lugging large bags of empty containers to Return Right machines and earning considerable amounts in return.
One netizen who showed off her haul on TikTok even said she earned enough to cover her public transport expenses.
Source: @kim_thao_bg on TikTok
But this prompted commenters to note that it would take a long time for her to finish inserting the containers, meaning that those behind her would end up waiting for a long time.
Source: TikTok
98% of BCRS transactions successful in Sept
Replying to another parliamentary question by Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim, Ms Fu said the proportion of successful BCRS transactions has been increasing.
Last month, around 98% of transactions were refunded on the spot, with a “considerable proportion” of unsuccessful transactions apparently due to unfamiliarity with the process.
This is compared with the first five months since the scheme was initiated on 1 April, when the success rate was 95%, she noted.
According to an NEA news release seen by MS News, more than 48 million beverage containers have been collected as of 27 Sept, which means more than 823 tonnes of material has been diverted for processing and recycling instead of incineration.
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Featured image adapted from Zac Price via Complaint Singapore on Facebook and @kim_thao_bg on TikTok.
