Singapore: With Singapore’s national recycling rate stuck at around 11%, household products manufacturer Lam Soon is rolling out more than 100 refill stations across the city to cut packaging waste at the source.
The company has partnered with hardware and tech startup Ecoworks in a $1 million investment to install vending machine-style refill points for its Bio-Home line of biodegradable cleaning products, including laundry detergent, dishwasher liquid and floor cleaner.
By eliminating single-use bottles, Lam Soon says it can offer products at a 30% discount for customers who refill their own containers. Prices start at about SGD $4.80 per liter.
According to a report in Mothership, Singapore’s recycling rate has “plateaued” at about 11% — far below the government’s target of 70% by 2030. Lam Soon argues that “upstream” solutions are needed to move past that plateau.“Stocking refill stations rather than store shelves allows us to eliminate the opportunity for bottles to even become waste in the first place,” the company said.
Ecoworks designed the stations and is working to place them in every neighborhood for convenience. The machines are already installed at 2 university campuses and a community center, with a city-wide rollout underway.
“Ecoworks has identified what is required for reuse to scale — convenient, standardized infrastructure in every neighborhood,” the company said.
