A potential "solution" is to price in the externality and tax the use of plastic in manufacturing. Then the market can decide whether it's "worth" using plastic for disposable water bottles or food wrapping.
Perhaps these criteria could be based on the ease and cost of recycling, with a huge penalty if not recyclable and a bonus if biodegradable/compostable.
The same argument could be made for rainforest deforestation, saying it's a good thing because it's feeding the poor!
Nonsense, tax the externality and then give back and support the worst affected through taxation or aid if needed. Inequality is at a record high, perhaps it wouldn't be so high if we made everything more expensive and then taxed the rich to pay for it.
In the US? Maybe, jury is still out: https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=696709717
In fairness, there is absolutely no way Dollar General is going to continue to source your product if it starts costing an extra 10-25 cents more per unit. You'd get cancelled quicker than your average Netflix Original.
If you think the Walmart process is bad behind the scenes, you definitely don't want to see how the Dollar General sausage is made. I'm pretty sure you could count on a switch to aluminum and paper containers in Dollar General fairly quickly.
They'd probably even market it as, "Eco Friendly".
They really are shameless.