Sourcing diacetone alcohol from China

Diacetone alcohol: 4% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, diacetone alcohol under 2914 40 10 00 carries 4% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension for this line. Heading 2914 covers ketones and quinones; diacetone alcohol has its own ketone-alcohol line.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches an export waste control to this line. Confirm its relevance with your customs broker, particularly for recovered material or a proposed return shipment. Environment Agency guidance for England says waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. Do not assume that a solvent described as recovered has the same status as a new chemical product.

Confirm the commodity code against the substance identity and composition. The comparison rows are different substances or residual categories, not alternative codes for diacetone alcohol. Solvent blends and thinners fall under heading 3814. See the wider ketone solvent guide for related products.

Specify diacetone alcohol by batch and use

Write the chemical identity, intended process and whether you require virgin material into the purchase specification. Agree assay, water content, colour, acidity and residue on evaporation, together with test methods and acceptance limits. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and test a sample in your coating, cleaning or formulation process before approving bulk supply.

For Great Britain, check UK REACH registration arrangements before ordering: HSE states that importing a substance at or above 1 tonne per year requires registration. Importers must ensure correct labelling and packaging before market supply. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for workplace use. Agree the hazard classification and transport arrangements for the actual material rather than copying acetone paperwork.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 tonnes of diacetone alcohol in drums, illustrative only under 2914 40 10 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,500. Duty at 4% is £860. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,360, so it is £4,472. Import taxes total £5,332; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £860 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the order, drum labels, batch certificate and safety data sheet to diacetone alcohol; investigate any reference to a blend or another solvent.

Batch quality: check assay, water, colour, acidity and residue against the agreed specification; compare arrival testing with the supplier's results.

Drums: check closures, seals, corrosion, dents and signs of leakage; record net contents and photograph damaged packaging before accepting delivery.

Traceability: match drum batch markings to the certificate of analysis and retain a labelled sample for any later quality investigation.

What goes wrong

Watch for water or residual impurities outside the agreed limits, recovered solvent supplied against a virgin-material order, and certificates that cannot be traced to the delivered batch. A sample that looks clear does not establish its composition or suitability for your process.

Poor closures can cause leakage, while inconsistent product names across labels and documents create avoidable queries. Hold a disputed batch apart from usable stock, arrange independent testing and agree the remedy against the written specification. Confirm waste controls before arranging any return of rejected material.

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.