The recycling point is one worth discussing (I know you just brought it up and aren't saying it is a viable option, but gave me pause to think it should be discussed):
First, very few recycling facilities will accept phone cases. Even if they are sold with a green leaf icon and a recycling logo because academically speaking they might have some possibility of recycling, in reality, the recyclers that can and will actually recycle it are exceedingly rare.
Second, let's just say they are recyclable at 100% of facilities (the reality is that it's in the single digits): the percentage of each case that is actually recycled is incredibly low. It's not like the entire thing gets turned into a t-shirt magically.
Third, fine, let's say it's 100% recycled. The energy required as an input to that process is massive. Shred it, sort the shavings by density, then melt them down, ship them...all requires a lot of carbon input, tooling, labor, and the like.
Is it better than a landfill or ocean? Probably. But that's not the point, the point is that even if they are recyclable on paper (so consumers can "feel good" about it), the facilities and economics aren't there, so they end up in the waste stream, even if I throw mine in the "blue, feel-good bin".
The economics and ecological story simply don't work out for anything but reuse, but that has been artificially blocked by Apple and a needless 0.03" tolerance change. But, well, they have a neat-o 5 minute film on "sustainability" and a very Jony Ive style sustainability report that asserts they are very serious about the environment, so, well, I can trust them it's totally cool I'm chucking this other-than-arbitrary-design-changes perfectly useful piece of plastic into the recycling bin is actually totally a good idea, right?
Apple offers recycling on their hardware. I’d assume they’d be able to handle case recycles too.
As far as the rest? Talk is cheap. Backing up your claims would be appropriate.