How to export Copper scrap from the UK to China
Copper scrap can enter China when it meets the recycled raw material requirements; otherwise the solid-waste import ban applies. Check the material and UK waste-export requirements before shipping. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Which copper scrap China allows
Copper scrap (recycled copper raw materials), under HS 740400, must meet the annex requirements of Announcement 2024 No. 23 to qualify as material that is not solid waste and may be imported freely. China has banned solid-waste imports by any means since 1 January 2021. Establish the material’s eligibility before agreeing a shipment. Copper scrap is absent from the cross-border e-commerce retail import list.
HMRC recorded £690.7m of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 740400 in 2025 (2024: £557.6m, +23.9%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £19.1m. January to July 2026: £520.3m against £384.4m in the same months of 2025 (+35.4%).
The largest UK export line under HS 740400 was 74040010, waste and scrap of refined copper, at £491.6m in 2025. Use the actual material composition to select your UK export line; China’s tariff subheading is 74040000.
Separate the material and establish conformity
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 uses sensory inspection, then inspection under GB/T 38470, 38471, 38472, 40382 and 40386. Agree with the importer which annex requirements and standards cover your copper, and prepare material evidence against those requirements before loading.
Duty and VAT affect the buyer’s offer
Chinese tariff line 74040000 has an MFN duty rate of 1.5%. The VAT Law, effective from 1 January 2026, sets the standard import VAT rate at 13%, subject to its exceptions. Its base is the customs value plus customs duty plus any applicable consumption tax; the importer’s customs adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to this product. These charges add to landed cost and shape the price the buyer can offer.
| Chinese tariff line | Rate |
|---|---|
| 74040000 | 1.5% |
Resolve the UK export requirements
China’s treatment of qualifying recycled material does not settle your UK waste-export requirements. Check GOV.UK’s waste export and import guidance for the shipment and establish which licences or certificates are required. Classify the copper using the correct commodity code. Exporting from England, Wales or Scotland requires an EORI number starting GB. For steel scrap shipments, see exporting steel scrap to China.
For exports from England, Scotland and Wales to China, the declarant uses the online export declaration service. Supply the EORI, commodity code, value, weight, packaging, destination, transport details, and invoice and packing list references. The carrier needs the invoice and any required export licences or certificates. Agree who prepares the declaration before dispatch.
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Find and check a Chinese buyer
Ask a prospective importer to identify the copper specification it will accept and how its customs broker will assess the shipment against the annex and applicable standards. Compare that specification with your stock, including separation of different material kinds. Settle classification, material evidence and landed-cost assumptions before signing a supply agreement.
Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed. In our work, the importer of record role stays with licensed partners in China, and your own filings stay yours. See our export-to-China service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export copper scrap to China?
Material meeting the annex requirements of Announcement 2024 No. 23 is not solid waste and may be imported freely. Otherwise, China’s solid-waste import ban applies. Check UK waste-export requirements separately.
What is the Chinese duty on copper scrap?
Chinese tariff line 74040000 has an MFN rate of 1.5%. Import VAT is 13%, calculated on customs value plus duty plus any applicable consumption tax. The importer’s adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies.
Can I ship mixed recycled copper materials?
Announcement 2024 No. 23 prohibits mixing different kinds of recycled raw material. Customs starts with sensory inspection, then checks against the named national standards. Establish the applicable requirements before loading.
Can copper scrap use cross-border retail e-commerce?
Copper scrap is not on the cross-border e-commerce retail import list. Discuss the shipment’s import arrangements and recycled raw material eligibility with the Chinese importer.