Sourcing Germanium Dioxide from China
Germanium dioxide from China carries 4% UK duty, with no suspension or trade remedy recorded for its line. Confirm UK REACH registration and chemical classification requirements with HSE, and settle chemical labelling and packaging before sale in Great Britain. Cambridge China Bridge sources germanium dioxide.
Germanium dioxide duty and classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2825 covers inorganic bases and metal oxides, hydroxides and peroxides. Germanium dioxide falls within 2825 60 00 90, the other line under germanium oxides and zirconium dioxide. The purchasing descriptions in the table share this commodity line.
The recorded duty for goods from China is 4%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed. The separate zirconium dioxide suspension does not apply to germanium dioxide. The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only to waste; for material from China whose waste status is uncertain, confirm the applicable requirement with your customs broker and environmental regulator before shipment.
Give your broker the composition, physical form, intended use and supplier documentation to confirm the commodity code. For the wider heading, see tin dioxide from China. Budget separately for import VAT using our duty and VAT guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germanium dioxide powder | 2825 60 00 90 | 4% | None |
Specify purity, crystal form and impurities
Specify germanium dioxide by chemical identity, assay basis, crystal form, particle size distribution and moisture. Agree separate impurity limits for the elements that matter to your process, including iron, copper, sodium and chloride where relevant. A headline purity claim is insufficient without the analytical method, reporting limits and batch results.
Ask for a batch certificate of analysis, a retained sample and sealed packaging with traceable lot markings. Trial the proposed material in your process before approving bulk stock. Agree whether reclaimed feedstock is acceptable and ask the supplier to explain its purification and contamination controls.
For Great Britain, confirm the applicable UK REACH registration route with HSE before importing the substance. Registration is per substance, per legal entity. Before sale, arrange correct chemical classification, labelling and packaging. A safety data sheet is required for a hazardous chemical supplied for workplace use.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 kg of germanium dioxide powder; FOB and freight values are hypothetical. under 2825 60 00 90, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,000. Duty at 4% is £680. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £17,680, so it is £3,536. Import taxes total £4,216; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £680 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the purchase specification, container label and batch certificate; confirm that the material is germanium dioxide rather than germanium metal or another oxide.
Analysis: independently test assay and agreed impurities using methods capable of measuring your acceptance limits; compare results with the supplier's batch certificate.
Physical condition: check crystal form where specified, particle size, moisture, caking and visible foreign material against the approved sample.
Packing and records: check seals, container damage, net weight, lot traceability and the applicable chemical labels and safety data sheet. See quality inspection explained.
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What goes wrong
An assay can look acceptable while a process-critical impurity exceeds the agreed limit. Different crystal forms or particle distributions can also make a replacement batch behave differently. Reject certificates that lack batch identification, test methods or reporting limits, and agree how disputed results will be checked.
Poor seals can leave powder damp or contaminated, while repacking can break lot traceability. Another avoidable error is claiming the neighbouring zirconium dioxide suspension for germanium dioxide. Compare the declared code with the actual substance and quarantine any batch that fails the purchase 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on germanium dioxide from China?
The recorded duty is 4% under 2825 60 00 90. No suspension, anti-dumping duty or countervailing duty is listed for this line in the supplied tariff snapshot.
Does the zirconium dioxide duty suspension cover germanium dioxide?
No. The recorded suspension belongs to the separate zirconium dioxide line. Germanium dioxide uses 2825 60 00 90, which has no suspension listed.
Do I need UK REACH registration for germanium dioxide?
For Great Britain, confirm with HSE whether the substance needs UK REACH registration and whether the importer or an only representative can provide the applicable coverage. Confirm your coverage before ordering.
What should I test before accepting a germanium dioxide batch?
Check identity, assay, process-critical impurities, crystal form where specified, particle size and moisture. Use independent batch testing and compare the results with your written acceptance limits.