How to export aluminium scrap from the UK to China
UK aluminium scrap can enter China only when it meets the recycled raw material requirements and falls outside the solid-waste ban. Check the material, Chinese tariff line and UK waste shipment rules before dispatch. Cambridge China Bridge's own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Which aluminium scrap can enter China?
Aluminium scrap (recycled aluminium raw material) falls under HS 760200, with Chinese tariff line 76020000. China has banned solid-waste imports by any means since 1 January 2021. Material meeting the annex requirements of Announcement 2024 No. 23 is outside that ban and may be imported; other scrap cannot enter as solid waste. The product is absent from the cross-border e-commerce retail import list. For profiles, see exporting UK aluminium profiles to China.
HMRC recorded £110.0m of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 760200 in 2025 (2024: £101.2m, +8.7%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £179.3m. January to July 2026: £54.4m against £60.0m in the same months of 2025 (-9.2%).
Match the material to the inspection requirements
Announcement 2024 No. 23 took effect on 15 November 2024 and replaced Announcement 2020 No. 43. Different kinds of recycled raw material must not be mixed. Customs first carries out sensory checks, then inspection against the national standards listed in the announcement: GB/T 38470, 38471, 38472, 40382 and 40386. Agree the applicable annex requirements and standards with the importer's customs broker before preparing a consignment.
Allow for duty and import VAT in your quote
The listed Chinese tariff line 76020000 has an MFN duty rate of 1.5%. The VAT Law's standard import rate is 13%, subject to its exceptions. Import VAT uses the customs value plus customs duty plus consumption tax as its base; the importer's customs broker or adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to this product. These border taxes add to landed cost and shape the price an importer can offer.
Classify the shipment and check UK waste export rules
Classify the scrap using the correct UK commodity code and check the GOV.UK waste export and import guidance for the shipment's requirements. Exports from England, Scotland and Wales need a GB-prefixed EORI and an online export declaration. Prepare the value, weight, packaging, destination, transport details and invoice and packing list references. The carrier needs the invoice and any applicable export licences or certificates.
Within UK exports under HS 760200, the largest 2025 line to China was 76020090, scrap of aluminium, at £51.7m. The other listed UK lines are 76020019 and 76020011; classify your actual material rather than choosing the largest trade line.
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Find and check a Chinese importer before dispatch
Check that a prospective buyer understands the annex requirements, the prohibition on mixing different kinds and the customs inspection process. Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached your business, our staff in China check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed.
The importer of record stays with licensed partners in China, and the brand's own filings stay the brand's. We check with licensed partners in China. Use Cambridge China Bridge's export to China service to arrange importer finding and company checks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export any aluminium scrap to China?
No. China bans solid-waste imports. The scrap must meet the annex requirements of Announcement 2024 No. 23 to qualify as recycled raw material outside that ban.
Can different kinds of recycled material share a mixed load?
Announcement 2024 No. 23 prohibits mixing different kinds. Match the proposed consignment to its annex requirements before dispatch.
What Chinese tariff line applies to aluminium scrap?
The listed Chinese tariff line is 76020000, with an MFN duty rate of 1.5%. Confirm the classification of the actual material with the importer's broker.
Can aluminium scrap use cross-border e-commerce retail imports?
It is not on the cross-border e-commerce retail import list. Plan the shipment around the recycled raw material requirements and customs inspection.