Its a good point, reuse is always better then recycling. But if we can reduce the amont of trash being sent to landfills that would have not been reused and help recycle it, this would be a win IMO.

Most glass bottles for example can be reused, but get a dollar to promote it being recyclable is better then not getting anything and sending it to the landfill.

10 dollars for a old phone in your pocket is better then you paying out of your pocket in taxes for local garbage and litter collection.

I think also worth noting is the 10$ for the phone is the “material cost”, the cost of the gold, silver, copper. Its not the “intrinsic value” of the phone, as the phone is not being resold, but in a ideal world being torn apart to build a new one.