Sourcing adiponitrile from China

Adiponitrile: recorded duty of 0%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2926 covers nitrile-function compounds. For chemically defined adiponitrile, confirm residual code 2926 90 70 90, whose supplied tariff record shows 0% duty for China and no anti-dumping or countervailing measure. The table describes purchase forms using this same candidate line, rather than separate tariff classifications.

The line also lists substance-specific and authorised-use suspensions. Adiponitrile is absent from the named substances in the ordinary suspension; do not assume the authorised-use suspension applies. The recorded standard duty is already 0%. The UK Trade Tariff attaches dangerous-chemical export and waste-export controls to this line; ask your customs broker to confirm their relevance to the China consignment.

Give the broker the chemical identity, composition, purity and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For other products within this heading, see the acetonitrile and nitriles guide.

Specify adiponitrile purity and impurities

Specify adiponitrile by chemical identity and intended process. Agree assay, water content, colour, acidity and an impurity profile with your technical team. Define the analytical methods and acceptance limits in the purchase specification. Ask for actual batch results and a chromatogram, rather than a certificate showing only a pass.

Agree whether the order permits recovered material, blending or additives. Specify drum or tank materials, closure seals, batch identification and the sampling procedure. Arrange a process trial on a representative batch before committing to regular supply.

For imports into Great Britain, check UK REACH registration coverage when annual imports reach one tonne or more. Labels and packaging must be correct before sale. A safety data sheet is required for hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use; obtain the English version before shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order: one tonne of adiponitrile in sealed drums under 2926 90 70 90, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,000, so it is £800. 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 purchase specification, batch certificate, safety data sheet and container labels to adiponitrile.

Batch chemistry: independently check assay, water, colour, acidity and agreed impurities against the delivered batch certificate.

Containers: inspect seals, closures, leakage and contamination; reconcile batch marks and net contents with the packing list.

Documents: check registration coverage, label review and the English safety data sheet. Keep samples traceable to their containers and use the inspection guide to organise the checks.

What goes wrong

A purity figure alone can conceal an unsuitable impurity profile. Water, acidity or contamination from reused containers can breach the agreed specification even when assay passes. Treat generic certificates, missing analytical methods and certificates covering a different batch as reasons to investigate before releasing the material.

A supplier's paperwork does not establish your registration coverage. Resolve this before shipment. If offered material may be waste, ask the broker and environmental authority to confirm the applicable controls for import from China. Where notification controls apply, shipment requires consent from the competent authorities of dispatch, destination and transit.

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.