Sourcing 1-Octene from China

UK duty on 1-Octene

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2901 covers acyclic hydrocarbons. For separately identified 1-Octene, the relevant line is other unsaturated acyclic hydrocarbons, 2901 29 00 00, carrying 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table repeats this line for different buying uses, rather than showing separate tariff subdivisions.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches an export waste control to this line. Ask your customs broker to confirm its relevance, especially if the material is recovered or described as waste. For waste imports into England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority, and shipment must await the required consents.

Confirm the commodity code using the substance identity, composition and batch certificate, particularly if buying a blend. See the 1-hexene guide for related coverage within the wider heading and the import duty and VAT guide for the calculation method.

Specify the 1-Octene identity and grade

Order 1-Octene by its full substance identity, not simply 'octene'. Specify its assay, other octene isomers, water, sulphur, colour and non-volatile residue, with agreed test methods. For polymer production, ask the receiving process owner to set impurity acceptance limits. Request a batch certificate and chromatogram, and identify any additives rather than assuming the material is additive-free.

For Great Britain, imports reaching one tonne of a substance annually trigger UK REACH registration responsibilities. Confirm whether the importer or an appointed only representative covers the supply. Importers must classify, label and package chemicals before placing them on the market. Hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use require a safety data sheet. Check these arrangements before approving shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business order: drums of 1-Octene for process trials under 2901 29 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,480. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,480, so it is £696. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare the order, batch certificate, safety data sheet and drum labels; check the chromatogram distinguishes 1-Octene from other octene isomers.

Batch quality: have a competent laboratory compare assay, water, sulphur and residue with the agreed specification, using safely collected representative samples.

Packaging: inspect seals, leaks, corrosion and batch markings; compare the packaging and transport arrangements with the safety data sheet.

Traceability: match the delivered drums to the tested lot and retain arrival photographs and test results. Agree sampling through the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

An 'octene' quotation can leave the isomer composition unclear. A headline purity result can also hide water or sulphur that matters to the buyer's process. Shared filling equipment and inadequately cleaned containers can introduce previous-product residues. A generic certificate may describe a grade without identifying the delivered batch.

Agree impurity limits and batch identification before purchase, then compare arrival results with the approved sample. Keep material with unresolved identity, leakage or specification discrepancies separate from production stock until the supplier and receiving laboratory resolve them.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.