Sourcing activated bleaching earth from China

Zero duty on activated bleaching earth

Heading 3802 covers activated carbon, activated natural mineral products and animal black. Activated bleaching earth falls within the other activated-mineral line, subject to confirmation of its composition and activation process. The table shows application descriptions sharing the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff categories. For the wider heading, see activated carbon and filter aids.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, code 3802 90 00 90 carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. Import VAT is normally 20%; see import duty and VAT.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls. For spent material offered from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable waste requirements before shipment. Waste moved under notification cannot ship until the destination, dispatch and transit authorities have consented. Supply the composition, activation method and fresh or spent status when confirming the commodity code.

Specify bleaching performance and filtration

Identify the clay feedstock, activation method and any additives. Agree moisture, particle-size distribution, acidity, bulk density and packaging with the factory. Specify the intended oil or fat, the trial conditions and the acceptable treated colour. Compare filtration speed and oil retained in the filter cake alongside colour removal.

For edible-oil processing, request contaminant results and supporting information for the exact intended use rather than accepting a generic food-grade description. Before importing a substance for the first time, assess whether it requires UK REACH registration. A safety data sheet is required where the chemical is hazardous and supplied for workplace use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 tonnes of activated bleaching earth, illustrative only under 3802 90 00 90, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £32,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £32,500, so it is £6,500. 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: match the bag grade, batch reference and certificate of analysis to the approved sample and purchase specification.

Condition: check for torn bags, damp powder, hard lumps and contamination; compare received weight with the packing record.

Performance: trial a representative sample in the buyer's oil, comparing colour removal, filtration and retained oil with the approved sample.

Consistency: compare moisture, acidity and particle-size results across sampled bags; retain labelled samples for investigating differences.

What goes wrong

Colour removal alone can hide an unsuitable grade. Fine powder can slow filtration, while a grade that retains more oil in the cake can reduce usable output. Moisture and caking can disrupt dosing. An approved sample does not establish that the shipment has the same feedstock, activation or particle distribution.

Keep fresh bleaching earth and spent, oil-laden material clearly distinguished in the buying documents. If a supplier offers spent material, stop the ordinary product-order process and have the broker confirm waste controls before freight is booked. Resolve inconsistent batch records or trial results before accepting the lot.

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.