Foreign workers give away BCRS containers to man & woman outside Jurong Point, says it's just 10¢ each & not a big deal

Foreign workers in Jurong are giving away their empty beverage containers to a man and a woman who go around asking for them, Shin Min Daily News reported.

A member of the public tipped the Chinese media off after seeing the man and woman asking foreign workers drinking in public for the containers.

It was believed that they were collecting the containers to receive refunds at the Return Right machines under the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS).

Eligible containers can receive a S$0.10 refund each.

More people asking for containers

Shin Min reported that the man and woman were seen holding plastic bags and asking foreign workers gathered outside the mall if they were done consuming their drinks.

For some, this practice is now commonplace.

One foreign worker said he has encountered at least four middle-aged men collecting containers.

The foreign worker said: "After all, it's only worth a few cents, so it doesn't matter if I gave it to them. I told them that I hadn't finished drinking yet, and that I would hang it on the doorknob of a door after I have finished, and they would come to get it then."

Woman "changed careers"

The manager of a bakery in the vicinity claimed that a middle-aged woman has now "changed careers" and is picking up BCRS bottles and cans outside the mall for a living.

She used to recycle cardboard and beverage cans, the manager added.

According to the manager, the woman said she could earn S$2,000 a month collecting BCRS containers now.

Why hand over containers?

Another foreign worker said those who hand over containers outside Jurong Point might have done so as the walk to the nearest Return Right vending machine might be a distance away.

There is one on the ground floor nearby and another inside the supermarket, he said.

Another foreign worker said he has heard of BCRS, but has not tried returning the containers as he is not very good with English.

He added that he sees middle-aged people picking up such empty containers.

He previously handed over an empty container to a man in his 50s or 60s as he appeared not to have a job.

Other members of the public said the scheme has good intentions, but there are also unintended outcomes.

Other than the mess caused by rummaging through rubbish bins in search of BCRS containers, the Return Right machines have started to smell as containers were not washed first before being returned.