Woman in Jurong West holding umbrella & rummaging for cans in rain sparks debate

A woman was seen scavenging and picking up cans from a rubbish bin at Hong Kah Point in Jurong West.

A video of the incident was posted online on Oct. 24, 2026.

She was seen holding an umbrella, a large plastic bag, and a pair of metal tongs to rummage through the contents of the litter bin.

The lid of the bin was removed, and at one point, she was bent over with her upper torso partially inside the waste collection receptacle.

She removed cans from the rubbish bin and put them in her plastic bag.

After she was done, she replaced the rubbish bin lid.

Sparks discussion

The video sparked discussion online.

Those who defended the woman's actions said she was responsible enough to return the rubbish bin's lid to where it belonged.

They also noted that she was using tongs.

Others said the person recording the video was invading her privacy.

However, those who called out the woman's actions said what she was doing was illegal.

Rummaging through public refuse bins, removing items from them, or leaving or spilling waste on the ground are against the law, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu in response to a parliamentary question recently.

Fu was asked whether measures were in place to prevent unhygienic practices under the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS), and if separate collection bins and facilities for liquid disposal would be provided at high-use locations.

BCRS was launched on Apr. 1, 2026.

Under the scheme, consumers are refunded 10 cents when they return their used eligible cans or bottles at Return Right Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) in Singapore.