I think the original or at least earlier idea for management, the hierarchy of reduce, reuse recycle.
Firstly, do we really need those plastic spreaders in packets of biscuits? or can they just bundle them tighter so they don't break?
2. Why can't we use glass more, it can be washed and reused, when I was younger I worked next to a Coca Cola and Kirks bottling factory. They would wash the used bottles and use them again instead of single use plastic bottles

Recycling should be a last resort, for items that cannot be done away with or reused.

I'm not a big fan of recycling. I advocate a philosophy of not having to recycle. More energy exists in the conservation of energy than it does in the creation and exploitation of new energy sources such as industrialized wind production. We're being conditioned to think recycling is a great thing. While I do participate in recycling, I think of the extra energy it takes to recycle. Let's just stop creating a need for recycling and we win on so many more levels. Recycling is profoundly limited in what it can really do and do very well. I just get creeped out when I hear people toss around the recycle word. Ooops I guess they just recycle the word and never think about it beyond their own lips. It's like WalMart's claim to be 'going green'. BS. WalMart is hopelessly Black. And NASCARs attempt to fool us with their so-called 'green' initiative that only serves to distract us from the wastefulness of their activities. It's like big corporations buying those carbon credits. Kinda like the Catholic Church used to sell absolutions, was it? It's a bunch of phony feel good stuff. Stop making crap products and we'll stop the need to recycle. Please see JackPedigo's comments, below. He's right on target!! OK, rant over

I would follow the French example.

Recycling is a big deal here and our transfer station (dump) has initiated a program called Y2Z (year to zero - waste). We have lots of R', Recycle, re-use, re-purpose, re-gift and on. One thing that is new is the use of a plastic shredder. The plastic used in the water bottles is also used in 3 d printers. Shredding the plastic earns a lot more than simply turning in the empty bottles. I often rinse out the plastic bags and reuse them several times. I also put them in my cloth shopping bags and use them instead of taking new bags for produce. You do know recycling is NOT cost effective. It costs more to recycle then to throw stuff away. Recycling is a simply way to keep humankind from digging more and more holes.