Sourcing Chromium Dioxide from China

Chromium dioxide duty and waste controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 October 2026, heading 2819 covers chromium oxides and hydroxides. Chromium dioxide has the dedicated code 2819 90 10 00. Its recorded duty for goods from China is 0%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension listed. See the chromium oxides guide for the wider heading.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to this line. For chromium dioxide shipped from China as waste, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirement with the relevant authority before shipment. Waste subject to notification cannot move until the dispatch, destination and transit authorities have consented. The attached export control should also be checked before arranging a return shipment.

Confirm the substance identity, composition and whether the shipment is powder or a preparation before agreeing the declaration. This focused table contains only the dedicated chromium dioxide line. Use our commodity code guide to check the classification.

Specify the dioxide and its magnetic performance

Write chromium dioxide explicitly on the purchase specification. Agree substance identification, assay, other chromium compounds, moisture, particle size distribution, particle shape and any surface treatment. Require a batch certificate of analysis with the test methods, rather than accepting a certificate headed only 'chromium oxide'.

For a magnetic application, agree coercivity, saturation magnetisation and dispersion behaviour against an approved sample, using the same test conditions for sample and production. Trial the powder in your binder or process before approving a production batch.

Ask for the documented UK REACH registration route for your intended imports. HSE states that registration is per substance, per legal entity. Before sale in Great Britain, ensure correct chemical labelling and packaging. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for use at work.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: one tonne of chromium dioxide in sealed drums under 2819 90 10 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 drum labels, purchase specification and batch analysis; independently check the chromium dioxide identity and agreed impurity limits.

Performance: compare particle size, magnetic measurements and dispersion with the approved sample using the agreed methods.

Documents: match the safety data sheet to the supplied composition and review the documented UK REACH route.

Packing: check seals, liners, batch traceability, dampness, leakage and correct chemical labelling and packaging. Record findings through our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A generic chromium oxide description can hide a different compound or an unsuitable grade. A matching assay alone does not establish magnetic performance: particle shape, surface treatment or dispersion can differ from the approved sample. Put these acceptance checks into the purchase specification.

Damp powder, hard agglomerates, broken seals or mismatched batch documents should trigger a hold and investigation before use. Ask for evidence of manufacturing and batch testing through factory verification. Confirm the waste-control position before arranging any rejected-stock return.

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.