Boy, 9, wins hearts after collecting 200 cans and bottles over 2 months, earns $20 from recycling
A 9-year-old boy has won hearts online for his recycling effort, collecting over 200 cans and plastic bottles over two months, earning him $20.
His father, 29-year-old business owner Muhammad Zahin Bin Zainal, told Stomp that his son, Gregory Imran Zahin, had learnt about recycling at school.
There, he was introduced to the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS), a national deposit-refund initiative aimed at encouraging recycling in Singapore.
“After that, he became very enthusiastic and started encouraging us to collect bottles,” Zahin said.
“He also reminds us to sort and dispose of other recyclable items properly in recycling bins.”
Over the course of two months, Gregory collected cans and bottles used by the family, including those from meals they had outside.
If the family came across recyclable items left on the ground, they would pick them up and recycle them as well, Zahin added.
Earns $20 from recycling
The family subsequently accompanied Gregory to recycle the materials at a Return Right Reverse Vending Machine at Block 435 Northshore Drive, and Zahin documented the experience in a TikTok post on Sept 8.
In the post, Gregory is armed with four large bags of empty plastic bottles, while one of his younger siblings holds a cardboard box of cans in her arms.
While they did not manage to recycle the bottles during that trip as the machine was full, the family returned a few days later, on Aug 30, and successfully deposited all the materials.
The haul came up to $20, something Gregory was “very happy and excited about” as he could add the money to his savings, Zahin added.
While acknowledging that recycling was not something the family actively practised previously, Zahin said he was heartened that Gregory’s enthusiasm influenced the family to start recycling as well.
“We’re very proud of what he has learnt in school and from his teachers. While there are both positive and negative comments online, what matters most to us is promoting the importance of recycling,” he reflected.
As for whether Gregory will continue his recycling efforts, Zahin said that it has now become a habit for him.
“Even if items are not part of the BCRS, he still makes the effort to recycle whenever possible,” he added.
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