Sourcing butyl rubber from China

Duty and waste controls for butyl rubber

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, butyl rubber under 4002 31 00 00 and halobutyl rubber under 4002 39 00 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China. Neither line lists anti-dumping or countervailing duties or suspensions. The table separates purchasing descriptions that share these commodity codes.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to both codes. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For Chinese material entering England under notification controls, the exporter applies to the dispatch authority; shipment follows consent from the Environment Agency and other competent authorities involved. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable control for recovered or discarded rubber.

This guide covers primary forms within heading 4002. Unvulcanised rubber mixed with fillers or curatives belongs to compounded rubber under heading 4005. Confirm the commodity code using composition and technical data, and see the synthetic rubber guide for the wider heading.

Specify the butyl grade and compound trial

State whether you need ordinary butyl, chlorobutyl or bromobutyl rubber. Agree the manufacturer's grade, supply form, Mooney viscosity, unsaturation and, for halobutyl grades, halogen content. Record volatile matter, ash, additives and the wrapping material in the purchase specification.

Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and an approved sample. Have your compounder compare cure behaviour, processing and the properties needed for the intended application using the same recipe. Agree storage conditions and acceptable age at loading.

Confirm with HSE the UK REACH registration position for the polymer, monomers and additives, including whether any existing supply-chain coverage applies to your import. Check constituent coverage before ordering; do not rely on a claimed polymer exemption alone to settle the chemical checks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of butyl rubber in bales under 4002 31 00 00, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £42,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £42,000, so it is £8,400. 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 grade, polymer type and batch markings to the approved sample, technical data and certificate of analysis.

Laboratory results: compare Mooney viscosity, volatile matter, ash and relevant composition results with the agreed specification.

Compound trial: compare cure curves and application properties with the approved lot in your compounder's recipe.

Packing and arrival: inspect wrapping, bale separation, contamination, cold flow and pallet damage; record sampled weights and batch traceability.

What goes wrong

A substitute butyl or halobutyl grade can change processing and cure behaviour even when its description looks similar. Viscosity drift, contaminated bales and wrapping that is unsuitable for the mixing process can disrupt production. Approve the actual grade in your recipe and agree that substitutions need your written acceptance.

Heat can leave bales deformed or stuck together, while mixed batches make defects harder to trace. Record condition on arrival and hold suspect batches pending comparison with retained samples. Use the quality inspection guide to organise checks before shipment.

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.