There are microplastics in the contents of those bottles. Just by opening those bottles you're releasing countless microplastics into the air. Even if we'd manage to collect all those bottles, it would still pollute.

Yes, governments are among those responsible.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-61146-4

Microplastics generated when opening plastic packaging

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237900-just-opening-a-...

Just opening a plastic bottle can release thousands of microplastics

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/15/micropla...

WHO launches health review after microplastics found in 90% of bottled water This article is more than 5 years old

Researchers find levels of plastic fibres in popular bottled water brands could be twice as high as those found in tap water

What do you mean? I can take my plastic bottles back to the seller to get 10 cents per bottle back on the purchase (that's what it was when I was a kid, a non-trivial amount back then), and the bottle will be cleaned and reused without grinding the? Because that's what I meant.

Sending plastic bottles to recycling is pointless and doesn't work, anywhere.