The visit provided a first-hand look at the infrastructure behind Singapore’s new Beverage Container Return Scheme.
Dr Janil Puthucheary visited the new central Counting and Sorting Facility as Singapore approaches full implementation of its national beverage container return system.
The facility combines scheme operation by BCRS Ltd., local plant operation by Cora Environment and an integrated sorting system designed by Nordic Recycling Systems.
A central hub for Singapore’s returned beverage containers
Located in Tuas, the approximately 2,000-square-metre facility receives beverage containers collected through Singapore’s Beverage Container Return Scheme.
Cora Environment operates the facility and is responsible for counting, sorting and baling the collected plastic and metal containers.
The plant has capacity to process approximately 45 tonnes per day, equivalent to around two million beverage containers.
Sorting system designed by Nordic Recycling Systems
Nordic Recycling Systems designed the processing system and sourced the equipment for the Tuas facility, adapting experience from high-capacity Deposit Return Systems to the requirements of the Singapore market.
From returned container to clean material stream
The facility combines several technologies into one automated material flow.
Incoming collection bags are registered before robotic arms handle, open and empty the bags into the processing line.
Incoming collection bags are identified and logged.
Robotic arms handle and empty the bags into the system.
Steel, aluminium and plastics are separated using dedicated sorting technologies.
Optical cameras and NIR identify and separate different plastic materials.
Robotics, material handling, air conveying and intelligent sorting work together as one integrated recycling process.
High-capacity processing within a compact footprint
Enclosed air conveying transports beverage containers between several processing stages, reducing the need for long open conveyor systems.
The enclosed system also helps contain odours and reduce the dispersion of small particles throughout the facility.
Steel cans are extracted magnetically, aluminium is separated using eddy-current technology, and plastic containers are identified by optical cameras and near-infrared sensors.
Scheme operation, local expertise and recycling technology
BCRS Ltd.
The not-for-profit operator licensed by Singapore’s National Environment Agency to manage the Beverage Container Return Scheme.
Cora Environment
Operates the central Counting and Sorting Facility and handles the processing, sorting and baling of returned containers.
Nordic Recycling Systems
Designed the sorting system and sourced the processing equipment for the new Tuas facility.
Infrastructure for more than one billion containers a year
Singapore’s Beverage Container Return Scheme applies to regulated plastic and metal beverage containers between 150 ml and 3 litres.
Consumers pay a refundable S$0.10 deposit on eligible containers carrying the BCRS Deposit Mark.
Following the transition period, full implementation begins on 1 October 2026.
An important international milestone for NRS
The Singapore facility demonstrates how proven recycling technology can be adapted to new markets, material flows and operating environments.
Advanced sorting technology for modern Deposit Return Systems
Discover how Nordic Recycling Systems develops integrated solutions for high-capacity beverage container processing.