Sourcing Bismuth Trioxide from China

Bismuth trioxide duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2825 covers inorganic bases and metal oxides, hydroxides and peroxides. For bismuth trioxide, the candidate residual line is 2825 90 85 90, carrying 4% duty for goods from China. The supplied data lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension on that line. The table shows purchasing descriptions sharing this code, rather than separate tariff lines.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import waste control and an export waste control entry to this line. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For a shipment from China, ask your customs broker to confirm whether waste controls apply and what documents or consent are needed; do not treat a reclaimed powder as ordinary product without checking its status.

Confirm the commodity code against the composition and whether the shipment is a substance or preparation. For the wider heading, see our antimony trioxide guide.

Specify the bismuth trioxide powder

State the intended glass, ceramic or laboratory use. Agree assay, test method, moisture, particle size distribution and crystal phase where these affect your process. Name the impurities to measure, including lead, iron and residual processing salts, and set contractual acceptance limits rather than accepting a supplier's grade name.

Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and a retained sample. Agree sealed liners, outer packaging and batch identification. Confirm with HSE whether UK REACH registration or coverage through an only representative is needed for your Great Britain imports. Also confirm applicable chemical classification, labelling and safety data sheet requirements, including when the sheet should be supplied.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative tonne of bismuth trioxide powder, with air freight under 2825 90 85 90, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,000. Duty at 4% is £400. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,400, so it is £2,080. Import taxes total £2,480; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £400 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the powder name, supplier batch and certificate to the purchase specification; investigate any substitution with bismuth metal or a blended preparation.

Analysis: independently sample the shipment for assay, agreed impurities, moisture and particle size; compare the results with the batch certificate.

Packing: check liner seals, leakage, dampness, foreign particles and hard agglomerates; record damaged packages before opening.

Documents: check batch traceability, the English safety data sheet where required, the UK REACH route and the classification and labelling assessment.

What goes wrong

A matching assay can conceal different particle size, crystal phase or impurity content. These differences can change how the powder disperses or behaves in the buyer's process. Damp packing and hard agglomerates can also make an otherwise acceptable batch difficult to use.

Approve a sample in your own process and compare the delivered batch with it. Agree how disputed samples will be taken and tested, and keep suspect stock separate while investigating. Plan the checks using our quality inspection guide.

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.