Or how about putting strict regulations on all plastics to the point where the economy only produces three or four types of interchangeable plastics that are compatible with one recycler, manufacturer or processor to another. Make them so similar with one another that they can be harvested after use regularly, recycled and reused over and over again.
I've thought the same about containers in general (plastic, glass, metal): standardize sizes and sell goods in reusable containers. Buy your Oreos in a standard reusable container same as any other cookie, eat em, bring it back to the store for a deposit. Companies will hate the reduced branding potential of a cardboard sleeve around a standardized container, but... tough.
Yeah I thought the same .... I keep buying the same peanut butter brand with the same clear hardened plastic container all the time. After a few years, my entire garage shop is now filled with clear plastic containers with lids that I use for anything and everything. They come in great for holding nails and screws and small parts but also for managing all kinds of liquids and oils.
If they did the same for all containers, people would be using all this stuff over and over again before trashing them.