Image of man & child at rubbish bin at night apparently looking for BCRS containers sparks debate - Mothership

A photo of a man and child looking into a rubbish bin at night in Singapore has sparked debate online.

The photo was posted to the Complaint Singapore Facebook page on Oct. 3.

The caption of the photo claimed that the pair are a father and son duo, and they were rummaging through the rubbish bin in search of BCRS containers.

BCRS refers to the beverage container return scheme launched on Apr. 1, 2026, where consumers are refunded 10 cents when they return their used eligible cans or bottles at reverse vending machines in Singapore.

The photo drew intense debate among those who responded.

There were a few hundred comments on the post within 16 hours.

The comments section was subsequently closed off.

Among those who commented, a number of them said the image was a heartbreaking sight.

"It seems a common scene nowadays," one commenter remarked.

It was previously reported that some individuals have made at least S$1,000 collecting used bottles and cans that are BCRS-eligible over a few months.

Others advised that the child should at least have used gloves while going through the trash.

However, the majority of commenters who were equally quick to give different takes did not buy the idea that the duo were collecting used cans and bottles out of necessity.

Some said the person taking the photo should mind their own business and not spread rumours about the man and child.

Others said the circumstances of the man and child were not known or provided, and they might be doing it for educational purposes rather than purely for financial gain.

Some other commenters said it could be recreational.

Past reports have shown that children in Singapore have made money by collecting used cans and bottles.

One commenter remarked that there was perhaps a lesson in this exercise for young people, as it showed how difficult it can be to make money.

Another commenter also noted that incentivising recycling appears to work, as people become more mindful of not simply throwing recyclable products away, but instead make the effort to place them in the appropriate collection points.