Even if we're for some reason melting down metal parts every time (which we don't), metal is energy intensive to recycle, but it's recyclable infinitely. Plastic is easier to melt, but only a small percentage of it is recyclable at all, and even that is only once. So all the plastic either gets burnt, or thrown out and ends up somewhere where it shouldn't, like an ocean. Both cases are way worse.

Ideally these bottles are recycled by just reusing them for a new product, not melted down. I've used these bottles several times over for beer. There's no need to replace them.

well 1) i'm not saying it's better, just that the concept of an attached lid is not even remotely new and thus complaining about it is incredibly dumb, and 2) you wouldn't recycle a bottle like that, you'd clean it up and just reuse it as-is, only having to replace the cork itself as the rubber gets too old.