Sourcing glass rods, tubes and balls from China
Unworked glass balls, rods and tubes from China, including borosilicate and fused quartz tubing for laboratory glassware, lamp work and instruments, pay 0% UK duty on all seven lines of heading 7002, with no anti-dumping duty. Buyers check the glass type and expansion coefficient, diameter and wall tolerances, straightness and packing against breakage.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 October 2026, heading 7002 covers glass in balls (other than microspheres), rods or tubes, unworked. All seven lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. The tariff separates tubes by glass: fused quartz or silica, low-expansion glass such as borosilicate, and other glass.
Finished laboratory and quartz glassware is covered in our quartz and glass articles guide, and lamp envelopes in our glass lamp envelopes guide; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass balls | 7002 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Glass rods of optical glass | 7002 20 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Cylindrical high-purity silica glass preforms | 7002 20 90 10 | 0% | None |
| Other glass rods | 7002 20 90 90 | 0% | None |
| Tubes of fused quartz or other fused silica | 7002 31 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Tubes of low-expansion glass, such as borosilicate | 7002 32 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other glass tubes | 7002 39 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying tubing and rod
Specify the glass type and its linear expansion coefficient, outside diameter and wall thickness with tolerances, length, straightness, ovality, and for quartz the purity and whether it is clear or opaque. Ask for the expansion and composition data on the supplier's certificate for each lot.
Borosilicate and soda-lime tubing look alike but cannot be fused together, so a mixed lot ruins lamp work and glassblowing. Specify the glass by name and expansion coefficient, not by appearance.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 3 tonnes of borosilicate glass tubing in 1.5 m lengths under 7002 32 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,200, so it is £2,040. 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
Dimensions: measure diameter, wall thickness and straightness on samples from several bundles.
Glass: check for airlines, stones and cords, and for stress under polarised light.
Packing: check bundles are wrapped and crated so tubes cannot move, and drop-test a packed crate. See our quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
Tube and rod orders fail on glass type, tolerance and breakage. A lot is mixed with a different glass, wall thickness varies along the tube, tubes are bowed, and loosely packed crates arrive with many broken.
Cambridge China Bridge sources glass tubing and rod for UK laboratories, glassblowers and lamp makers from small lots; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on borosilicate glass tubing from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 October 2026, borosilicate and other low-expansion glass tubes under 7002 32 00 00 carried 0% from China.
Is quartz tubing classified separately?
Yes. Tubes of fused quartz or other fused silica are 7002 31 00 00, also 0%.
Why does the glass type matter so much?
Glasses with different expansion coefficients cannot be fused together, so a mixed lot fails in lamp work and glassblowing.
Are finished laboratory beakers in this heading?
No. Heading 7002 covers unworked balls, rods and tubes; finished glassware is classified elsewhere.