The Singapore Bottle Deposit Is 10 Cents per Container: Fully in Force From 1 October 2026, Refunded Only to an E-Wallet or Card
The Singapore bottle deposit is 10 cents on every plastic bottle or metal can, and under National Environment Agency (NEA) rules all regulated beverages must carry the deposit mark from 1 October 2026. You get the 10 cents back by returning the empty container to a Return Right machine, which pays the refund to a SimplyGo EZ-Link card or DBS PayLah!.
On 8 October 2026, the Singapore news outlet Mothership posted a video on its Facebook page of a woman feeding the contents of five large bags of drinks containers, one by one, into a Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) machine. The post drew hundreds of comments and opinion was split: some said the deposit was her own money and she was entitled to reclaim it; others felt that with so many containers she should have let the people queuing behind her go first.
The video struck a nerve because the deposit scheme has just finished its six-month transition. When the scheme began on 1 April 2026, shelves held both marked and unmarked drinks; the transition ended on 30 September, and from 1 October the deposit applies to every regulated drink. This guide does not pass judgement on anyone in the video. It sets out how the system works: which containers carry a deposit, where to return them, where the refund goes, what to do if a machine rejects a container, and what residents, expats and short-term visitors each need to know.
Key Points
- Who should read this: residents and households in Singapore who buy bottled or canned drinks; foreigners working or living long-term in Singapore who need to know which refund method they can use; tourists and business visitors on short trips.
- The deposit applies to plastic bottles and metal cans of 150ml to 3 litres that carry the deposit mark; cartons, pouches, glass bottles and drinks freshly made on the premises carry no deposit.
- Refunds go only to a SimplyGo EZ-Link card or DBS PayLah!; the machines do not pay out cash. Containers must be empty, uncrushed and have an intact barcode, or the machine will reject them.
- A short-term visitor without either of these two refund methods cannot reclaim the 10-cent deposit at a machine.
How the Singapore Bottle Deposit Works: the Law, the Timeline and the Operator
The legal basis for the BCRS is Part 4B of the Resource Sustainability Act 2019. Section 23P requires regulated beverages supplied in Singapore after a prescribed date to carry a deposit mark and an identifying barcode; section 23Q attaches a deposit to every beverage product bearing the mark; and section 23U provides for the deposit to be refunded once a return point accepts the container. The scheme is run by BCRS Ltd., a not-for-profit company set up by beverage producers and licensed by NEA; its consumer-facing brand is Return Right.
The timeline below is taken entirely from NEA’s consumer page and scheme overview:
| Phase | Period | How the deposit applies |
|---|---|---|
| Scheme starts | 1 April 2026 | Drinks with the deposit mark cost an extra 10 cents at checkout; the empty container can be returned at a machine |
| Phase 1 transition | 1 April to 30 September 2026 (extended from three months to six) | Old stock without the mark carries no deposit and cannot be returned at a machine; recycle it in the blue bins as before |
| Phase 2 full implementation | From 1 October 2026 | All regulated beverage products supplied in Singapore must carry the deposit mark, and the 10-cent deposit applies to all of them |
The deposit is not subject to GST. NEA also notes that the major supermarkets display shelf prices without the deposit and add it at checkout; smaller retailers may do things differently. An extra line on the receipt for the deposit is therefore not a price rise.
Which Containers Carry the Singapore Bottle Deposit? Materials, Sizes and Exclusions
The scope below is taken entirely from NEA’s consumer page (updated 10 April 2026); the final row on powdered drinks comes from the Return Right website:
| Item | Carries the 10-cent deposit | No deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Material | All plastics (PET, PP, HDPE and others) and metals (aluminium, steel) | Cartons, pouches, glass bottles |
| Size | 150ml to 3 litres | Under 150ml or over 3 litres |
| Type of drink | All pre-packaged drinks: water, soft drinks, juices, dairy, cordials and concentrates, alcohol | Drinks freshly made on the premises: freshly brewed herbal drinks, coffee and tea, freshly squeezed juice, bubble tea, or drinks made in a central kitchen by the same operator |
| Special use | — | Foods for Special Medical Purposes |
| Mark | Carries the BCRS deposit mark | Containers not meant for consumption in Singapore (these carry no mark) |
| Other | — | Powdered drinks in plastic containers |
The simplest test is the label: if it carries the deposit mark, you pay the deposit and can claim it back; if it does not, there is no deposit and no refund. A drink bought at a hawker centre, or one you were given for free, still carries a refundable deposit if the container has the mark.
For dining in, NEA runs the Return Right F&B Scheme. Participating outlets do not charge customers the 10-cent deposit: they either serve the drink in a cup or glass, or ask customers to leave the container behind after drinking, and they display Return Right F&B signage. Outlets outside the scheme, including most hawker centres and coffeeshops, sell drinks with the deposit, and the deposit follows the container.
Where to Return Containers for the Singapore Bottle Deposit: Return Right Machine Locations and Hours
Deposits are refunded at Return Right reverse vending machines (RVMs). NEA said more than 1,000 machines would be in place islandwide at launch. In a parliamentary reply on 5 August 2026, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said all 1,070 machines planned for the initial roll-out had been deployed and were operating, putting more than 90% of HDB residents within a five-minute walk of one, with a target of around 2,000 return points within the first year. Sources differ by row, so they are listed:
| Return point | Details | Opening hours | Data basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large supermarkets | Supermarkets with more than 200 square metres of floor area must have a return point | Store opening hours | NEA consumer page; Return Right FAQ |
| HDB void decks and public spaces | Machines within housing estates | 24 hours | NEA consumer page; Return Right FAQ |
| Town Centres | One of the community return locations NEA lists | Depends on location | NEA consumer page |
| Hawker centres | Once deployment is complete, every hawker centre will have a machine on site or close by | Depends on location | NEA scheme overview; MSE, 5 August 2026 |
| Coffeeshops | Only those designated as return points; MSE says there are currently no plans to place machines at every coffeeshop or school canteen | Depends on location | Return Right FAQ; MSE, 8 September 2026 |
The nearest machine can be found on the map on the Return Right website. The blue recycling bins are still available, but putting a container with the deposit mark into one means giving up its 10-cent deposit.
Where the Singapore Bottle Deposit Is Refunded: Two Digital Options Only
The machines do not pay out cash. Refunds go only to the following, and sources differ by row:
| Refund method | How to use it | Data basis |
|---|---|---|
| SimplyGo EZ-Link card (including student and senior concession cards) | Place the physical card on the machine’s reader and wait for the beep before removing it | NEA consumer page; Return Right website |
| DBS PayLah! | Open MyQR on the app’s home screen and hold the QR code to the machine’s scanner | NEA consumer page; Return Right website |
| Not accepted | PayNow QR codes, the SimplyGo app, NETS FlashPay cards | Return Right website |
On whether PayLah! needs a bank account: the Return Right website says you do not need a DBS or POSB bank account to use PayLah!, while a footnote on NEA’s scheme overview states that Singapore citizens and permanent residents may sign up without a DBS/POSB account. For other residency statuses, check DBS’s latest sign-up conditions.
Before You Return Containers: Conditions, Rejections and Manual Refunds
The Return Right website describes the process as: tap the screen to start, insert one container at a time, wait for the machine to verify it, then tap your EZ-Link card or scan your PayLah! QR code to receive the refund. You can return as many containers as you like in one visit. Each container must meet three conditions:
- Empty: no liquid left inside; a quick rinse is even better.
- Uncrushed: keep its original shape so the machine can scan the barcode.
- Intact labelling: the barcode and deposit mark (plus the 2D code on sticker versions) must be clear and undamaged.
The rejection reasons and remedies below are taken entirely from the Return Right FAQ:
| Situation | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No deposit mark | The machine will not accept it | Use a blue recycling bin |
| Damaged barcode or 2D-code sticker | The machine will not accept it | Keep labels intact next time |
| Crushed or misshapen container | The machine will not accept it | Do not squash containers after drinking |
| Glass, carton or pouch | Not an eligible container | Use a blue recycling bin |
| Container accepted but refund failed | The machine prints a service ticket | Scan the QR code on the ticket or use the Return Right refund page and enter the account holder’s name, bank and account number; the ticket is valid for 30 days and can be used once |
| No ticket printed | — | Photograph the machine screen (machine ID, date and time, refund amount) and email it to Return Right within 30 days |
In a parliamentary reply on 6 October 2026, MSE said that around 98% of transactions in September were refunded on the spot, and that the share of unsuccessful returns had fallen from 5% over the first five months to 2% in September, with many failures down to unfamiliarity with the refund process. Once verified, manual refunds are expected to reach the bank account within 10 working days. Return Right also warns that it will never ask for online banking passwords, one-time passwords (OTPs), Singpass login details or card PINs, and will not send you links to claim a refund, so treat any such message with suspicion.
What the Singapore Bottle Deposit Means for Three Kinds of Reader
Residents and households in Singapore
- If your household regularly drinks bottled water or canned drinks, keep a bag at home for empties, avoid squashing them, and drop them at the machine at your void deck or supermarket when you pass.
- Any SimplyGo EZ-Link card or PayLah! account already in the family will do; student and senior concession cards can receive refunds too.
- On returning large quantities: in a 6 October 2026 reply to a parliamentary question about noise at void decks, MSE said it had received little feedback on machine noise, that BCRS Ltd. would assess individual cases and work with Town Councils on whether locations or hours should change, and asked the public to be considerate. Avoiding late-night returns and splitting a large load when others are waiting is the courteous approach.
- In a separate reply the same day, MSE said that rummaging through public refuse bins, removing items from them and leaving or spilling waste on the ground are against the law, and that NEA will take action.
Foreigners working or living long-term in Singapore
- The easiest refund method to get is a SimplyGo EZ-Link card: S$10 at SimplyGo ticket offices (a S$5 card cost plus S$5 of stored value), and also sold at convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Buzz and Cheers. You can use it on public transport every day.
- The SimplyGo app on its own and NETS FlashPay cards cannot receive refunds, so bring a physical EZ-Link card.
- If you want to use PayLah!, NEA only states that citizens and permanent residents can sign up without a DBS/POSB account; for holders of work passes and other statuses, check DBS’s latest conditions.
- For public transport rules and fines, see Zagdim’s guide to Singapore MRT fines and new bus rules.
Tourists and business visitors on short trips
- Visitors who buy marked bottled water or canned drinks pay the same 10-cent deposit at checkout.
- The deposit can only be refunded to a SimplyGo EZ-Link card or PayLah!. SimplyGo says its travel cards serve both residents and tourists, so if you have an EZ-Link card you can return containers at a machine and have the deposit added to the card for your next journey.
- If you travel by other means and have neither an EZ-Link card nor PayLah!, the 10-cent deposit cannot be reclaimed at a machine; empties can still go in a blue recycling bin, but the deposit is forfeited.
- The S$5 card cost is non-refundable, so buying an EZ-Link card purely to recover deposits rarely makes sense on a short stay; it depends on whether you would buy one for public transport anyway.
Common Misunderstandings About the Singapore Bottle Deposit
One: “The deposit is just a 10-cent price rise”
The deposit is returned in full when you bring back the container, and it is not subject to GST; Return Right compares it to the S$1 coin in a supermarket trolley. The major supermarkets show prices without the deposit and add it at checkout, so the extra line on your receipt is not a price increase.
Two: “From October, every drinks bottle can be returned”
Only plastic bottles and metal cans of 150ml to 3 litres carrying the deposit mark have a deposit and can be returned. Glass bottles, cartons, pouches, freshly made bubble tea and freshly brewed coffee are all outside the scheme and carry no deposit.
Three: “The machines give cash back”
Refunds go only to a SimplyGo EZ-Link card or DBS PayLah!. The machines do not give cash, and they do not accept PayNow QR codes, the SimplyGo app or NETS FlashPay cards.
Four: “Crushing saves space and the machine will still take it”
If a container is crushed or misshapen, the machine cannot scan the barcode and will reject it. MSE says the small share of eligible containers that are rejected is linked to how they are inserted, for example a crushed container or one not placed properly on the conveyor, and occasionally to machine faults.
Five: “Taking bottles other people have thrown away is fine”
MSE’s parliamentary reply of 6 October 2026 states that rummaging through public refuse bins and removing items from them is against the law, and that NEA will take action.
Worked Examples: Three Everyday Singapore Bottle Deposit Situations
One: A family of four with two big bags of empties each week
- Background: lives in an HDB flat, buys bottled water and canned drinks regularly, and returns them once at the weekend.
- What to do: empty the containers, do not crush them, collect them in bags, then take them to the void deck machine at the weekend, insert them one at a time and collect the refund on a family member’s EZ-Link card.
- What not to overlook: old unmarked stock and glass bottles go in the blue bins; if others are waiting, return the load in batches, and avoid making a lot of noise late at night.
Two: A newly arrived foreign employee on a work pass
- Background: has not yet opened a Singapore bank account and buys a canned coffee near the office every day.
- What to do: buy a physical SimplyGo EZ-Link card first; it works for the commute and for deposit refunds. The SimplyGo app on its own cannot receive refunds.
- What not to overlook: NEA only states that the no-bank-account PayLah! sign-up applies to citizens and permanent residents; for other statuses, DBS’s published conditions apply.
Three: A visitor in Singapore for three days
- Background: bought a few bottles of water at a convenience store and has no EZ-Link card.
- What to do: without an EZ-Link card or PayLah!, the deposit cannot be refunded at a machine; the empties can go in a blue bin. If the trip already involves frequent MRT journeys and an EZ-Link card has been bought, the deposits can be returned to the card along the way.
- What not to overlook: it is 10 cents a bottle, so there is no need to buy a card just to recover deposits; the S$5 card cost is non-refundable.
Singapore Bottle Deposit: Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Singapore bottle deposit, and is GST charged on it?
It is 10 cents per container and is not subject to GST. The deposit is collected at checkout, and the major supermarkets show shelf prices without it. Return the empty container to a Return Right machine and the full deposit is refunded to a SimplyGo EZ-Link card or DBS PayLah!; putting it in a blue bin means giving the deposit up.
Which containers carry the Singapore bottle deposit? What about glass and cartons?
The deposit applies to plastic bottles and metal cans of 150ml to 3 litres that carry the deposit mark, covering water, soft drinks, juices, dairy, cordials and alcohol. Glass bottles, cartons, pouches, containers under 150ml or over 3 litres, and drinks freshly made on the premises carry no deposit and go in the blue bins as before.
Will I still find drinks without the deposit mark after 1 October 2026?
According to NEA, from 1 October all regulated beverage products supplied in Singapore must carry the deposit mark. Unmarked old stock bought during the transition (1 April to 30 September) carries no deposit and cannot be returned at a machine; recycle it in a blue bin. If you still come across an unmarked container, go by the label: the machine will not accept a container without the mark.
The machine rejected my container, or took it without refunding me. What now?
Rejections are usually down to a missing deposit mark, a damaged barcode, a crushed container or an ineligible material. If the machine took the container but the refund failed, it prints a service ticket: within 30 days, scan the ticket’s QR code or use the Return Right refund page and enter your bank details, and the refund should arrive within about 10 working days of verification. If no ticket is printed, photograph the screen and email Return Right within 30 days.
How can foreigners in Singapore receive bottle deposit refunds?
The most direct route is a physical SimplyGo EZ-Link card, sold at ticket offices and at convenience stores such as 7-Eleven. DBS PayLah! also receives refunds, but NEA only states that citizens and permanent residents can sign up without a DBS/POSB account; other statuses should check DBS’s conditions. The SimplyGo app on its own and NETS FlashPay cards cannot receive refunds.
Can tourists get the deposit back on bottled water?
Yes, but only to a SimplyGo EZ-Link card or DBS PayLah!. SimplyGo says its travel cards serve both residents and tourists, so a visitor with an EZ-Link card can return containers at a machine and have the deposit added to the card. Without either option, the 10-cent deposit cannot be reclaimed at a machine; empties can still go in a blue bin.
Do I pay a deposit on drinks at hawker centres and restaurants?
Drinks with the deposit mark bought at hawker centres and most coffeeshops carry the 10-cent deposit, which you can reclaim at a machine. Dine-in outlets in the Return Right F&B Scheme do not charge the deposit; they serve the drink in a cup or ask you to leave the container behind, and display Return Right F&B signage.
Settling Into Life in Singapore? Ask Zagdim
If you have just moved to Singapore and are still getting used to the deposit scheme, transport cards and other everyday rules, or want to know which refund method suits your residency status, Ask Zagdim with the details of your situation and we will help you sort out the practicalities of daily life there.
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Important Disclaimer
This article is general information and does not constitute legal or financial advice. It draws on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) BCRS consumer page and scheme overview, parliamentary replies from the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) between August and October 2026, Part 4B of the Resource Sustainability Act 2019, the Return Right and SimplyGo websites, and Mothership’s post of 8 October 2026. The number of return points, refund methods and sign-up conditions may change; check the latest announcements from NEA, Return Right and DBS for your own situation.
The rules described are current as of 9 October 2026, subject to the latest official announcements from the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Return Right.
References
National Environment Agency – Beverage Container Return Scheme: For Consumers / National Environment Agency – Beverage Container Return Scheme / Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment – Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on BCRS (5 August 2026) / Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment – Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on BCRS Reverse Vending Machine Locations (8 September 2026) / Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment – Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on BCRS Rejection Rate (6 October 2026) / Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment – Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on BCRS Quiet Hours (6 October 2026) / Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment – Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on BCRS Public Hygiene (6 October 2026) / Singapore Statutes Online – Resource Sustainability Act 2019, Part 4B Beverage Container Return Scheme / Return Right – How Can I Return Right? / Return Right – Frequently Asked Questions / SimplyGo – Travel Cards / Mothership – Video of a woman returning five bags of containers at a BCRS machine (Facebook, 8 October 2026) / Zagdim – Singapore MRT Fines and New Bus Rules: What You Can’t Do on Public Transport
