You Can Recycle Containers For Sentosa Funpass Tokens, ActiveSG Credits Or Free Bike-Rental At Recycling Vending Machines

Here’s an easy way for you to save on some money: exchange unwanted trash for credits worth real money.

The folks at Singapore Atrium Sale were walking around when they came across a recycling vending machine that somehow fell out of fashion last year.

Well, after hearing this, you might start seeing crowds queueing up again at the various Recycling Vending Machines (RVMs) out there.

Recycling Vending Machine Rewards

Rewards redeemed are based on the number of containers you recycle. And the base number of containers you need in order to redeem anything is 10.

Rewards include CapitaStar reward points (where you can use to redeem free e-vouchers), ActiveSG credits, Sentosa Fun Pass (5 tokens), free 30-minute ride on anywheel or, you can go the full altruistic route and say you don’t need anything.

So if you’re not deterred by the jellyfish news at Sentosa, here’s how much 5 tokens can actually get you:

You can also choose to top up your funpass to get more of it.

Or if you’d rather spend time hitting the gym or biking, you can opt for other rewards such as $0.50 ActiveSG credit or a free 30-minute ride with Anywheel, which if you didn’t know, are those green bicycles you might have seen around.

Let’s just hope that this time, they won’t be abused like they were a few years ago.

Driven by smart technology

Make sure your aluminium or plastic drink containers are empty, and most importantly, have a barcode on them.

The smart machines check the weight of the container deposited against its weight stored in its database. You know, to check if it’s really indeed empty. Also, the machine actually sorts them by material within itself.

Pretty amazing, huh?

The drink containers should be less than 15cm in diameter, in order to fit into the machine. So yes, 2-litre drink bottles would fit.

The can or bottle then travels along a neon-glowing, futuristic-looking path before it gets swallowed up by the machine.

There’s even a step-by-step user guide located on the touchscreen and displayed on the front of the machine so you can tell your ah ma not to worry if she wants to have a go at it.

You might not always get a reward, though

Recycling le?

The machine only disburses rewards for every 10 containers (that’s the magic number), but it’ll still accept the bottles.

Some RVMs located in schools also do not dispense rewards. And even some RVMs offer a choice to not receive a reward.

Well, we don’t know anyone who’d turn down a freebie, but hey, all in the spirit of environmental conservation eh?

There are two types of RVMs, by the way – Multi-Reward RVMs and Single-Reward RVMs.

For every 10 containers deposited successfully, Multi-Reward RVMs allow users to choose between 10 CapitaLand STAR$ which can be redeemed for e-vouchers, ActiveSG credits, Sentosa Fun Pass Tokens and a free Anywheel ride.

Single-Reward RVMs, on the other hand, dispense a $0.20 NTUC FairPrice discount coupon for every 20 containers deposited.

Which is good news for the supermarket-lover within us. 

If this is the first time you’ve seen RVMs, you can find the nearest one here.

Since we’re on the topic of the Sentosa Funpass, did you know that every Singaporean can actually get a free funpass with 10 tokens inside?

It’s valid until next year so make sure to check it out!