It is worth noting that other types of materials are regularly recycled fairly well

For instance, paper and carboard (as long as it's without food grease) work well

Also worth noting that #1 and #2 plastics are usually recycled. #3 and above are typically not economically viable and thus not recycled. They have higher cost and produce lower quality plastics after recyling

There was a time when China had such high raw demand for plastics that they would recycle large amounts of the higher number plastics from other countries. They no longer do so

These distinctions are typically not expressed to people very well. In any case, recycling is supposed to be the thing that comes after trying to reduce waste and reuse waste. It's not a magical bullet, but it can help with the things you can't easily reduce or reuse. Somehow it became the focal point of everything and the other two got lost