A 53-year-old man in Singapore has reportedly collected more than S$1,000 in refunds by gathering discarded drink cans and bottles since the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) began.
The man, who works near Amoy Street Food Centre, spends his spare time cycling around Singapore to look for empty beverage containers that have been left behind.
According to Chinese-language broadcaster 8world, he typically receives between S$10 and S$20 in refunds each day from the containers he collects.
Cycles Around Singapore Looking For Discarded Containers
The man reportedly heads out after work to search for discarded bottles and cans, particularly around areas where there are more people drinking at night.
Geylang and Tanjong Pagar are among the locations he visits, as he said these areas tend to have more empty beverage containers left behind.
Some people reportedly leave their empty cans and bottles beside rubbish bins after finishing their drinks, providing an opportunity for the man to collect them.
On the day he was interviewed, he estimated that he had gathered around 100 containers.
The BCRS was introduced in Singapore in April 2026 as part of efforts to encourage the recycling and recovery of beverage containers.
Each Eligible Bottle Or Can Carries A 10-Cent Deposit
Under the scheme, consumers pay an additional 10 cents when purchasing a drink in a container carrying the BCRS logo.
The deposit can then be recovered when the empty container is returned through a designated Return Right machine.
For the 53-year-old collector, these small refunds can add up considerably over time.
He reportedly receives the money through his EZ-Link card and said his daily returns generally range from S$10 to S$20.
He also continues collecting on weekends, sometimes making as many as three trips in a single day.
After almost two months of doing so, the accumulated refunds credited to his EZ-Link card had reportedly surpassed S$1,000.
Other Singaporeans Also Collect Bottles For Different Reasons
The man’s experience is not the only example of people making use of the BCRS refund system.
Other individuals interviewed by 8world reportedly gave different reasons for collecting beverage containers and returning them through the scheme.
Some were motivated by the refunds, while others collected the containers to help older people who may not have access to the necessary application or technology needed to manage the returns themselves.
The BCRS provides consumers with a financial incentive to return eligible drink containers instead of throwing them away, while also supporting Singapore’s broader recycling efforts.
For the 53-year-old man, however, the scheme has become a way to turn discarded bottles and cans found around the city into additional income.
His experience also demonstrates how small-value deposits can accumulate when large numbers of containers are returned. With some containers being discarded after only a single use, informal collectors can potentially recover a significant amount over time by gathering them and bringing them to designated return points.