Sourcing Diglyme from China

Diglyme duty and commodity code

Heading 2909 covers ethers and related compounds. Diglyme is specifically listed as bis(2-methoxyethyl) ether, CAS number 111-96-6, under 2909 19 90 70. Only this commodity line in the supplied tariff facts identifies diglyme; the table therefore contains a single relevant row. See the wider ethers guide for other products.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, diglyme of Chinese origin carries 4% duty. The supplied facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspension for this line. They attach an export control for waste. Waste shipment controls apply only if the material is waste; ask your customs broker to confirm the attached control's relevance to your shipment.

Confirm the commodity code using the chemical identity and composition rather than the supplier's trade name. Ask for documents identifying diglyme consistently as CAS number 111-96-6. A formulated product needs its own classification check.

Specify diglyme identity, purity and intended use

Write the chemical identity, intended process, purity, water, colour and acidity into the purchase specification. Agree the analytical methods and require a certificate of analysis tied to the supplied batch. Ask the factory to identify additives and related ether impurities rather than accepting a purity figure alone.

Diglyme is on the UK REACH Authorisation List. After the sunset date, it cannot be used or placed on the market for a use unless that use is authorised or exempt. Authorisation has no tonnage threshold. Obtain a documented assessment of your intended use and supply chain before ordering, including trial quantities.

For a new importer, importing a substance into Great Britain at or above 1 tonne per year requires UK REACH registration. Check the registration position separately from authorisation. Ask your chemical compliance adviser to confirm the arrangements covering your business and shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative: 4 tonnes of drum-packed diglyme, subject to confirming lawful use under 2909 19 90 70, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,000. Duty at 4% is £1,320. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £34,320, so it is £6,864. Import taxes total £8,184; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,320 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the purchase order, batch certificate, safety data sheet and drum labels to diglyme and CAS number 111-96-6.

Assay: compare independent gas chromatography results and related ether impurities with the agreed specification and the batch certificate.

Water and appearance: check water by the Karl Fischer method, then colour and acidity against the agreed acceptance limits.

Packing: inspect seals, leaks, drum condition and batch markings on arrival. Check the English safety data sheet and hazard labels. Record discrepancies using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

An order described only as a glycol ether can leave room for substitution or mismatched documents. A certificate without batch traceability cannot establish the quality of the delivered drums. Water, colour or contamination can also differ from the approved sample. Hold a disputed batch until identity and specification checks are resolved.

A supplier's registration statement does not resolve the separate authorisation question. Agree who will assess the intended use before paying for production. For spent or off-spec solvent, establish whether it is waste before arranging a return shipment; waste shipment controls only apply when the material is waste.

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.