Sourcing Butyraldehyde from China

Butyraldehyde duty: 4%

Heading 2912 covers aldehydes, their cyclic polymers and paraformaldehyde. Pure normal butyraldehyde and isobutyraldehyde fit the residual acyclic aldehyde description under 2912 19 00 90, subject to confirmation against the composition. The buying specifications in the table share this tariff line. See the wider aldehydes guide for other products within the heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied record shows 4% duty for Chinese-origin goods under this line, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It also attaches an export control for waste. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste; ask your customs broker to confirm the attached control's relevance to your shipment from China.

Give your broker the substance identity, isomer, assay, impurities and any added solvent or stabiliser before confirming the commodity code. Avoid applying the pure-substance description to a formulated product without checking its composition.

Specify the isomer and batch composition

Write normal butyraldehyde or isobutyraldehyde explicitly in the purchase specification. Agree assay, water content, acidity, other aldehydes, colour and the analytical methods. Request a batch certificate of analysis and disclose any stabiliser or solvent. Test a sample in your intended process before approving the production batch.

For Great Britain, confirm with HSE whether UK REACH registration is required for your substance and annual import quantity before ordering. Everyone in the supply chain is responsible for correct labelling and packaging before placing chemicals on the market. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for workplace use.

Agree drum material, closure and seal details, storage instructions and the transport arrangements using the actual product's safety data sheet. Obtain the factory's batch test records rather than relying on a catalogue assay. Use testing and certification support to define independent checks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2 tonnes of industrial normal butyraldehyde, illustrative only under 2912 19 00 90, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,700. Duty at 4% is £148. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,848, so it is £769.60. Import taxes total £917.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £148 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the isomer name and batch reference across the order, drum labels, analysis certificate and safety data sheet.

Composition: compare independently measured assay, water and acidity with the agreed limits; review the chromatogram for unexpected components.

Containers: check closures, seals, dents, corrosion and evidence of leakage before moving the drums into storage.

Receipt: record batch quantities and condition, retain a sample through an agreed safe sampling procedure, and hold discrepant material pending investigation.

What goes wrong

An order saying only “butyraldehyde” can leave the isomer ambiguous. A headline assay can also conceal water, acidity or an impurity profile unsuitable for your synthesis. Compare the complete batch results with your process specification rather than accepting the product name alone.

Leaking closures, damaged drums and documents carrying different batch identities complicate acceptance and traceability. Agree rejection criteria before dispatch, photograph arrival defects and keep affected material separate while the supplier investigates.

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.