New BCRS portal launched for transaction issues, cutting wait for refunds from 30 to 10 working days - CNA

The service will first be available at SG Recycle machines in the north and west of Singapore before expanding islandwide.

A user returns a beverage container into a Reverse Vending Machine. (File photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong)

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Daphne Yow 01 Oct 2026 12:00PM (Updated: 01 Oct 2026 01:15PM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST SINGAPORE: Users who encounter transaction issues under the beverage container return scheme (BCRS) can now submit refund requests through a new digital portal, cutting the expected wait for verified refunds from up to 30 working days to 10.

The portal was introduced following a six-month transition period for the BCRS.

From Thursday (Oct 1), all regulated pre-packaged beverages supplied in Singapore in plastic or metal containers ranging from 150ml to 3 litres must carry the scheme's Deposit Mark and a 10-cent deposit.

Consumers can get the deposit back by returning eligible empty containers at designated Return Right machines.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less The new refund portal is intended for users who receive a service ticket after encountering a transaction issue at a Return Right machine, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and scheme operator BCRS Ltd said in a joint media factsheet.

Users can scan the QR code on their service ticket or upload a photo of the ticket at returnright.sg/refund, instead of submitting their refund request by email.

Transaction details will be pre-filled automatically where possible, and users will need to provide the remaining information, including their full name, bank name and bank account number.

Once verified, refunds submitted through the portal are expected to be credited to the user's bank account within 10 working days.

Some requests may take longer if additional information or verification is required, NEA and BCRS Ltd said. This could apply, for example, when a user submits a photo of the machine screen instead of a printed service ticket.

The portal will initially be available for SG Recycle machines in the north and west, before being progressively expanded to other machines islandwide.

The BCRS had a six-month transition period from April to September, during which NEA and BCRS Ltd gathered user feedback and made operational improvements.

As of Sep 27, more than 48 million beverage containers had been collected under the scheme, amounting to more than 823 tonnes of material sent for processing and recycling instead of incineration, said NEA and BCRS Ltd.

The average number of containers returned per transaction rose from 2.8 in April to 8.2 in September.

Returned containers are sorted and processed at the Counting and Sorting Facility in Tuas before being sent for recycling. About 55 per cent of the material collected is plastic and 45 per cent is metal.

More than 1,300 Return Right machines are operational, putting more than 90 per cent of HDB residents within a five-minute walk of a return point.

Machines have also been placed at major supermarkets, industrial estates, institutes of higher learning and other places with high footfall.

More machines will be progressively deployed, with the scheme on track to have around 2,000 return points within its first year of implementation.

Based on current data, use of the machines is highest from weekend evenings through Monday, NEA and BCRS Ltd said. Users are encouraged to make returns on weekdays where possible and check live bin status online before heading to a return point.

They should also empty their containers and rinse them where possible before returning them, as residual liquids can affect machine performance and cleanliness.

All Return Right machines are cleaned and serviced at least once a day.

As of noon on Sep 30, NEA had received more than 2,700 applications from smaller retailers and non-profit organisations seeking more time to clear their remaining non-BCRS-labelled beverage stock.

Around 90 per cent of the more than 2,300 applications processed had been approved. The applications were mainly from provision shops, neighbourhood convenience stores and standalone food shops.

The agency announced earlier this month that eligible smaller retailers and non-profit organisations could apply for a grace period until Oct 31, following industry feedback that some needed more time to clear their remaining non-BCRS-labelled stock.