Sourcing BDP flame retardant from China

UK duty on bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate)

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2919 covers phosphoric esters and their salts, including lactophosphates, and their specified derivatives. Bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate), CAS number 5945-33-5, has the named code 2919 90 00 60. Goods from China carry 0% duty, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension recorded. The table lists purchasing uses sharing this same tariff line.

The tariff attaches dangerous-chemical export control and waste export control to this line. Ask your customs broker to confirm their relevance to the shipment, including any return to China. HSE states that there are no prior informed consent notification obligations for imports. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material being transported is waste; confirm the status of recovered or discarded material before ordering.

Give your broker the chemical identity, composition and intended use to confirm the commodity code. Check a formulated product against its actual composition rather than relying on the supplier's product name. The phosphate flame retardants guide covers the wider heading.

Specify BDP composition and the qualified formulation

Bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate), commonly called BDP, is bought for engineering plastics, including polycarbonate and ABS blends. Agree triphenyl phosphate content, acid value, water, colour and viscosity with the factory. Specify the test methods and acceptance criteria, and retain a sample of the grade qualified in your own formulation.

For imports into Great Britain, confirm the applicable UK REACH registration threshold and whether registration or coverage through an only representative is needed with HSE or your chemical adviser. Registration is per substance and per legal entity. Confirm coverage before shipment using the UK REACH importer guide. Substances and mixtures supplied on the Great Britain market must be classified and labelled under its chemical classification and labelling rules.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: one tonne of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) in sealed drums under 2919 90 00 60, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,480. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,480, so it is £896. 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 drum labels, certificate of analysis and safety data sheet to bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) and the ordered grade.

Composition: compare the batch's triphenyl phosphate content and oligomer distribution with the qualified sample using the agreed laboratory method.

Condition: test acid value, water, colour and viscosity against the purchase specification; inspect a representative sample for haze or sediment.

Packing: check seals, leaks and batch traceability, and obtain an English safety data sheet matching the delivered material. Plan sampling with the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

BDP can arrive with more triphenyl phosphate than the certificate states, or with composition that differs from the grade used in the customer's trials. A familiar trade name does not establish that the batch matches the approved material. Compare batch results with the retained sample before releasing it for compounding.

A paperwork check can miss a formulation mismatch. Agree how the factory reports composition and test methods, then trial the delivered material in the customer's actual polymer blend. Resolve unexplained changes in acid value, water, colour or viscosity before accepting repeat supplies.

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.