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Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment
Parliament Q&A

Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on Failed Reverse Vending Machines (BCRS)

4 November 2026

Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on unsuccessful refunds at Reverse Vending Machines (BCRS) by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment.

Question:

Mr Lee Hong Chuang: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the frequency and main causes of processing failures in reverse vending machines after accepting containers under the Beverage Container Return Scheme; and (b) whether the Ministry will work with the operator to automate verification and refund processing, including through technologies such as computer vision, to reduce the current waiting time for refunds.         

Answer:

As of October, over 95% of the transactions at the Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) were refunded on the spot. For the unsuccessful transactions, a considerable proportion appears to be due to unfamiliarity with the refund process.

Since 1 October 2026, BCRS Ltd. has been progressively rolling out a digital refund portal to streamline the processing of unsuccessful refunds. Users only need to provide their personal details via a pre-populated online form on the new portal instead of sending an email to BCRS Ltd.. Under this streamlined process, the public can expect refunds to be made within 10 working days, down from 30 working days previously.