Sourcing chloroprene rubber from China

Duty on chloroprene latex and primary-form rubber

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, chloroprene rubber latex under 4002 41 00 00 and other chloroprene rubber under 4002 49 00 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China. Neither line lists anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or a suspension. This guide covers primary forms; the broader family is covered in our synthetic rubber guide.

The tariff attaches waste import and export controls to both lines. For material supplied as waste from China, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker before shipment. For imports into England under notification controls, shipment can start only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved.

Confirm the commodity code using the technical data sheet, composition and physical form. Rubber already mixed with fillers or curatives is compounded rubber under heading 4005. The supplied facts contain only the relevant latex and other-rubber lines, so the table shows those rather than unrelated rubber types.

Specify the chloroprene grade and processing behaviour

State whether you need solid rubber or latex, the manufacturer's grade, intended compound and processing method. For solid rubber, agree Mooney viscosity, volatile matter, ash and antioxidant type. Ask whether the antioxidant can stain light-coloured compounds. For latex, agree total solids, acidity or alkalinity, particle size and packaging.

Trial the proposed grade in your compounder's own recipe. Compare mixing behaviour, cure curve and the properties of the cured rubber with your approved material. Agree storage conditions and maximum age at loading rather than accepting a grade name as proof of equivalence.

Confirm with HSE whether UK REACH registration or an exemption applies to the polymer, monomers and additives, and whether any upstream registration covers your import. Establish the position for the actual formulation with your chemical compliance adviser; see UK REACH for importers.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of chloroprene rubber in bales under 4002 49 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 the manufacturer, grade and batch identifiers on packaging to the purchase specification and certificate of analysis.

Solid rubber: sample across the shipment for Mooney viscosity, volatile matter and ash; inspect wrapping, contamination, sticking and distorted bales.

Latex: check total solids, acidity or alkalinity and visible coagulation against the agreed specification; inspect containers for leakage and damaged closures.

Processing: compare the batch's cure curve and cured properties in the agreed recipe. Record results against the approved sample using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A substitute grade can meet a supplier's general description yet behave differently during mixing or curing. Changes in viscosity or antioxidant type can disrupt processing or discolour the finished compound. Keep the approved grade and recipe results attached to the purchase specification.

Bales can stick together or become contaminated after damaged wrapping. Latex can coagulate following freezing or prolonged storage. Agree packing and storage instructions before dispatch, and hold affected batches for assessment rather than blending them into accepted stock.

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.