SINGAPORE — What many people leave behind as rubbish has become a small source of extra income for one Singapore man, who says he collected almost $80 worth of refundable bottles and cans through the country’s new Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS).
The man, who uses the TikTok account johnsaudio, shared a video on Saturday, Sept. 5, showing himself feeding large numbers of empty beverage containers into a BCRS return machine in Tampines.
Several large bags filled with bottles and cans could be seen around him as he worked through his collection.
“Good morning, 10 cents,” he wrote in the caption.
In the comments, he said the containers he had collected were worth nearly $80 in refunds.
From Trash to Small Cash
The video quickly attracted supportive reactions from viewers, with some saying there was nothing embarrassing about collecting discarded containers that still carried a refundable deposit.
One commenter noted that many people are simply unwilling to return their empty bottles and cans themselves, suggesting that people willing to collect and return them should be able to benefit from the refunds.
Another encouraged the man to continue, saying there was “nothing wrong” with earning some extra money while helping with recycling.
The reaction highlights one of the less obvious effects of Singapore’s BCRS: containers that might otherwise end up in general waste can now have a direct monetary value.
For people willing to collect eligible containers, each one represents another 10 cents toward their eventual refund.
It Wasn’t His First Recycling Run
The Tampines collection also appears to have been more than a one-off effort.
An earlier video posted on Aug. 26 showed the same TikTok user bringing another large bag filled with bottles and cans to a BCRS return machine.
In another clip, he demonstrated a different side of the experience when one can repeatedly failed to be accepted by the machine.
Despite carrying the BCRS logo, the container was repeatedly rejected and pushed back out.
After several attempts, the man responded by giving the machine a thumbs-down gesture.
The incident reflects one of the practical challenges that can occur as consumers become familiar with the new nationwide return system.
5.5 Million Containers Recycled Since April
Singapore’s BCRS officially launched in April 2026 as part of efforts to increase the recycling of beverage containers.
According to Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary, around 5.5 million bottles and cans had been recycled through the scheme since its launch, as of Aug. 5.
More than one million successful refunds had also been made.
Each eligible container carries a 10-cent deposit, which can be recovered when the container is returned through the designated system.
The number of participating containers is expected to increase as more beverages carrying the BCRS deposit mark enter the market.
How the BCRS Works
The scheme is designed to encourage consumers to return empty beverage containers instead of throwing them away.
When consumers purchase an eligible drink, a 10-cent deposit is included. Once the empty container is returned through an approved return point, the deposit can be refunded.
That means an individual bottle or can may not seem particularly valuable on its own.
But as the man’s nearly $80 collection demonstrates, hundreds of containers can add up to a meaningful amount.
At 10 cents per container, a refund of $80 would represent roughly 800 eligible containers.
The exact number collected may differ depending on the containers involved and the refund amount actually received.
More Than Just Pocket Money
The man’s experience also illustrates the economic incentive built into Singapore’s recycling system.
Instead of relying solely on public awareness campaigns to encourage recycling, the BCRS gives consumers a direct financial reason to return eligible containers.
For some people, that may mean simply remembering to bring their own empty bottles and cans to a return machine.
For others, like the man featured in the TikTok video, it can mean actively collecting containers that other people have discarded.
The reactions to his videos suggest that many viewers see the practice positively, particularly because it combines a small financial return with recycling.
A New Recycling Habit for Singapore
As Singapore’s deposit-return system continues to expand, more consumers are expected to become familiar with which bottles and cans qualify for refunds and where they can return them.
The scheme also creates a new incentive for people to keep recyclable containers out of the general waste stream.
For one man in Tampines, however, the concept has already become much more personal.
What began as collecting discarded bottles and cans has reportedly turned into nearly $80 in refunds.
And judging from his videos, he appears to have no plans to stop anytime soon.
Sometimes, in Singapore’s new recycling economy, one person’s discarded bottle really can become another person’s 10 cents.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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