Sourcing benzothiazole from China
The supplied benzothiazole-family lines carry 6% UK duty on goods from China, with conditional suspensions giving a 0% to 6% range. Confirm UK REACH registration applicability with HSE before importing; correct supply labels and packaging remain essential. Cambridge China Bridge sources benzothiazole compounds.
Benzothiazole duty and conditional suspensions
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied benzothiazole-family lines within heading 2934 carried 6% duty on goods from China. They cover mercaptobenzothiazole, its salts and disulphide, and specified other compounds in the benzothiazole tariff branch. The table separates named products sharing a commodity code; it does not list interchangeable chemicals.
Codes 2934 20 80 25 and 2934 20 80 70 show autonomous suspensions to 0%, with a footnote excluding mixtures, preparations and multicomponent products. Confirm eligibility for the actual formulation. Code 2934 20 20 00 has no suspension. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded on these lines. The tariff attaches an export waste control; ask your broker to confirm requirements if the material is waste. For notified waste imports into England, the exporter must seek consent from the dispatch country's competent authority.
Give your broker the chemical name, CAS number, structure, salt form, purity and formulation to confirm the commodity code. The supplied extract does not give a residual line for unnamed benzothiazoles. See the wider heterocyclic compounds guide for the heading context.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercaptobenzothiazole and its salts | 2934 20 20 00 | 6% | None |
| Benzisothiazolinone powder meeting the tariff purity description | 2934 20 80 25 | 6% | None |
| Benzothiazole derivative, CAS 3741-80-8 | 2934 20 80 70 | 6% | None |
Specify the benzothiazole compound and rubber grade
Order by chemical identity rather than an accelerator trade name. Distinguish mercaptobenzothiazole from its disulphide and salts. Agree assay, related substances, moisture, particle size, powder or granule form and any oil treatment. Specify test methods and require a batch certificate of analysis. Compare a production sample with the approved material in your own process before accepting a substitute.
For Great Britain, confirm with HSE whether your annual substance imports require UK REACH registration and whether an only-representative arrangement can cover them. Registration is per substance and legal entity. Resolve this before ordering. Hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use require a safety data sheet; request an English version matching the exact product.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5 tonnes of mercaptobenzothiazole rubber accelerator, illustrative only under 2934 20 20 00, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,500. Duty at 6% is £990. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £17,490, so it is £3,498. Import taxes total £4,488; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £990 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the label, batch certificate and purchase specification for chemical name, CAS number and salt form; confirm identity by infrared spectrum and melting range where appropriate.
Assay: independently check assay and related substances against the agreed methods; compare the impurity profile with the approved batch.
Physical form: check moisture, particle size, granule condition and oil treatment; record caking, dust and damaged inner liners on arrival.
Labels and packing: match batch identifiers and safety information to the material. Suppliers are responsible for correct labelling and packaging before placing chemicals on the market; inspect seals, leaks and drum condition.
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What goes wrong
An accelerator trade name can conceal a different compound, salt or treated grade. A changed synthesis route can alter impurities while the certificate still reports an acceptable assay. Damp powder cakes, and a different particle size or oil treatment can change handling in your process. Keep retained samples and agree written notification of changes.
A suspension shown beside a named chemical can be mistaken for relief on every formulation containing it. Have the broker check the suspension wording against the composition before shipment. Keep the batch certificate, specification and English safety data sheet together, and arrange testing and certification support where independent analysis is needed.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on benzothiazole compounds from China?
The supplied lines carry 6%. Codes 2934 20 80 25 and 2934 20 80 70 show conditional suspensions to 0%; mercaptobenzothiazole, its salts and disulphide under 2934 20 20 00 remain at 6%.
Do benzothiazole imports need UK REACH registration?
For Great Britain, confirm with HSE whether your annual substance imports require registration and whether an only-representative arrangement can cover them. Registration is per substance and legal entity.
What documents should I ask the Chinese factory for?
Ask for a batch certificate of analysis, the agreed specification and an English safety data sheet matching the exact compound and formulation. Hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use require a safety data sheet.
Can I substitute benzothiazole disulphide for mercaptobenzothiazole?
Treat them as different compounds even though they share a tariff code. Agree the exact identity and grade, then test the proposed material in your process before accepting a substitution.