Sourcing crude coal-tar xylol from China

Duty on crude coal-tar xylol

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 2707 covers products of high-temperature coal-tar distillation and similar products whose aromatic constituents outweigh their non-aromatic constituents. This guide focuses on crude coal-tar xylol. See the coal-tar solvent naphtha guide for the wider heading.

The xylol lines distinguish power or heating fuel under 2707 30 00 10 from other purposes under 2707 30 00 90. Both carry 0% duty from China. The selected crude-oil comparison lines also carry 0%. These selected lines record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control.

The crude-oil rows are comparison entries for feedstock, not automatic classifications for a product sold as crude xylol. Give your broker the composition, distillation results, production description and intended use to confirm the commodity code. Do not choose a code from the supplier's trade name alone.

Specify the crude xylol composition

State that you want coal-tar-derived crude xylol and describe its intended solvent, blending or processing use. Agree total xylene content, the xylene isomer profile, ethylbenzene, benzene and toluene content, distillation range, water, sulphur, colour and non-volatile residue. Set acceptance limits against your process rather than accepting the word 'crude' as a grade.

Request a batch certificate of analysis, agreed test methods and a sealed production sample. Identify whether the supplier produces the fraction or blends purchased material. Agree drum material, closure type, net mass and batch traceability. Use factory verification to check the production and laboratory arrangements.

Review UK REACH registration per substance and per legal entity before ordering. Labels and packaging must be correct before placing chemicals on the Great Britain market. A hazardous chemical supplied for use at work needs a safety data sheet; check that it describes the actual crude fraction and its impurities.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 4 tonnes of crude coal-tar xylol in drums; illustrative FOB and freight values under 2707 30 00 90, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,800, so it is £1,160. 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 invoice, drum markings, batch certificate and safety data sheet to the agreed coal-tar fraction.

Composition: compare laboratory results for xylenes, ethylbenzene, benzene, toluene and sulphur against the purchase specification.

Physical properties: check distillation behaviour, water, colour and residue against the approved sample and agreed limits.

Drums: inspect seals, closures, corrosion, leakage and net mass on arrival; compare hazard labels with the safety data sheet. Agree a quality inspection plan before dispatch.

What goes wrong

A supplier can use the same crude-xylol name for fractions with different xylene content or distillation behaviour. Excess light components, water or heavy residue can change process performance. A clear-looking sample does not establish composition, so base acceptance on batch analysis.

Generic documentation can describe refined xylenes while the delivery contains a broader crude fraction. Resolve mismatches between the sample, analysis and safety data sheet before shipment. Keep leaking or suspect drums apart pending investigation, and do not approve a replacement blend without checking it against the agreed specification.

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.