Those who rummage through rubbish bins for containers may be issued advisories: Grace Fu
Public feedback on individuals rummaging through refuse bins occurred even before BCRS was introduced.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu has announced that individuals caught rummaging through public rubbish bins in Singapore may receive advisories, even if they do not leave litter on the ground. This response came in a written parliamentary reply on November 2, in reaction to a question from Punggol Member of Parliament Yeo Wan Ling.
Fu stated that NEA officers might provide an advisory to those found rummaging through bins without causing any disamenities. She clarified that while the National Environment Agency (NEA) has received public feedback about this behavior prior to the implementation of the Return Right Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) on April 2026, the scheme became fully operational on October 1 after a six-month transition period.
Fu emphasized that NEA's initial approach is to conduct public education on good hygiene practices. When such incidents occur, NEA takes a measured approach to decide if enforcement actions are necessary. Fu reiterated that people are discouraged from rummaging through bins due to potential disamenities for the community as well as hygiene and safety concerns for the individuals involved.
Addressing the root causes of this behavior, Fu mentioned that individuals will be referred to social agencies for further support if needed, as the Ministry of Social and Family Development collaborates with community partners under the Vulnerable-in-Community Network. As of September 27, over 48 million beverage containers had been collected through the BCRS, with an average of 8.2 containers per transaction, up from 2.8 in April. About 45% of the collected materials are metal, and 55% are plastics, according to NEA.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
