Annex C: LAPCAP alignment of WRAP's bulk density figures with Defra's material categories
Updated 14 July 2025
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| Packaging Category | Subcategory | WRAP category used | tonne per m3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | Aluminium packaging non-deposit return scheme (DRS) | Aluminium foil and cans[footnote 1] | 0.020 |
| Fibre-based composites | Fibre-based composites packaging non-DRS | Drinks cartons and card[footnote 2] | 0.035 |
| Glass | Glass packaging DRS | Glass | 0.3 |
| Glass | Glass packaging non-DRS | Glass | 0.3 |
| Paper and Card | Card packaging non-DRS | Card | 0.06 |
| Paper and Card | Paper packaging non-DRS | Paper | 0.305 |
| Plastic | Film or other flexible plastic packaging non-DRS | Plastic film | 0.02 |
| Plastic | Other dense plastic packaging non-DRS | Plastic pots, tubs and trays | 0.025 |
| Plastic | Plastic bottles packaging non-DRS | Plastic bottles | 0.023 |
| Plastic | Plastic pots, tubs and trays packaging non-DRS | Plastic pots, tubs and trays | 0.025 |
| Steel | Steel packaging non-DRS | Steel cans | 0.086 |
| Wood | Wood packaging non-DRS | Residual | 0.2 |
| Other | Non-combustible packaging non-DRS | Residual | 0.2 |
| Other | Textiles packaging non-DRS | Residual | 0.2 |
| Other | Other packaging non-DRS | Residual | 0.2 |
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We have used data provided by Alupro that gives the placed on market tonnages of each subcategory of in-scope aluminium to guide our assumption that 55% of in-scope aluminium is comparable to foil, and 45% is comparable to cans. The density of in-scope aluminium is then set such that 1 tonne has the volume of 0.55 tonnes of aluminium foil and 0.45 tonnes of aluminium cans. This calculation uses the density of aluminium foil (0.015T/m3) and the density of card (0.036T/m3) in WRAP’s figures. The calculation can be broken down then as follows: 1 tonne of aluminium has volume = 0.55/0.015 + 0.45/0.036, its density is then the inverse of this. 1/(0.55/0.015 + 0.45/0.036) = 0.020. In practice, to avoid any rounding errors, this calculation is done using the tonnages provided by Alupro directly rather than the proportions. ↩
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We have used data provided by the Alliance for Fibre-Based Packaging (AFBP) that gives the placed on market tonnages of each subcategory of fibre-based composite to assumedguide that 4750% of FBC is comparable to card, and 530% is comparable to drinks cartons. The density of FBC is then set such that 1 tonne of FBC has the volume of 0.475 tonnes of card and 0.53 tonnes of drinks cartons. This calculation uses the density of drinks cartons (0.026T/m3) and the density of card (0.060T/m3) in WRAP’s figures. The calculation can be broken down then as follows: 1 tonne of FBC has volume = 0.475/0.06 + 0.53/0.026, its density is then the inverse of this. 1/(0.475/0.06 + 0.53/0.026) = 0.036. In practice, to avoid any rounding errors, this calculation is done using the tonnages provided by AFPB directly rather than the proportions. ↩