Sourcing low-foam CIP detergents from China
Industrial low-foam CIP cleaning preparations from China normally carry 4% UK duty; conditional suspensions can give qualifying surface-active preparations 0%. Great Britain detergent rules apply; confirm applicable hazard-label and safety data sheet requirements with HSE for the actual mixture. Cambridge China Bridge sources industrial low-foam CIP detergents.
4% duty on finished CIP cleaning preparations
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 3402 covers organic surface-active agents other than soap, surface-active preparations, washing preparations and cleaning preparations. For industrial low-foam clean-in-place detergents, distinguish a finished cleaning formulation from a surface-active preparation and confirm whether it is put up for retail sale.
The selected lines carry a standard 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded. Finished cleaning preparations have no suspension recorded. Other non-retail surface-active preparations have a conditional 0% suspension for specified products; the supplied footnotes exclude mixtures or preparations containing those products. The selected lines have no attached import controls. Some surfactant ingredient lines attach waste controls; if importing waste, confirm the requirement with your customs broker.
Give your broker the full formulation, intended use and packaging to confirm the commodity code. Do not claim a suspension solely because a detergent contains a listed surfactant. The supplied suspension descriptions are incomplete, so confirm eligibility before entry. See the industrial degreasers guide for the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-retail washing and cleaning preparations | 3402 90 90 00 | 4% | None |
| Washing and cleaning preparations put up for retail sale | 3402 50 90 00 | 4% | None |
| Other non-retail surface-active preparations | 3402 90 10 90 | 4% | None |
| Surface-active preparations put up for retail sale | 3402 50 10 00 | 4% | None |
Specify the circulation and rinse conditions
Specify the soil to remove, alkaline or acidic formulation, working concentration, water hardness, circulation temperature, contact time and rinse endpoint. State the stainless steel, seals and other wetted materials involved. Agree a foam test using circulating liquid under your operating conditions, rather than judging foam from a shaken sample bottle.
Great Britain detergent rules establish technical requirements for detergents and their surfactants. Ask for surfactant biodegradability reports, the full formulation and technical instructions. Confirm applicable hazard labelling, packaging and safety data sheet requirements with HSE for the actual mixture. Check whether the substances require UK REACH registration at your import tonnage, as explained in the site's published chemical guidance.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 18 tonnes of low-foam CIP detergent in drums under 3402 90 90 00, invoiced at £27,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £29,200. Duty at 4% is £1,168. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,368, so it is £6,073.60. Import taxes total £7,241.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,168 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Documents: match the formulation, safety data sheet, label, batch certificate and approved sample; check that the instructions describe your intended cleaning cycle.
Circulation: compare foam formation and collapse at the agreed dilution, temperature and water hardness; check cleaning on representative soil.
Rinsing and compatibility: check the agreed rinse endpoint, residual film and odour, and inspect metal and seal samples after exposure.
Delivery: inspect drum closures, leakage, fill weights, batch identification, sediment and separation; compare concentration and appearance with the retained sample. Arrange quality inspection against the agreed specification.
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What goes wrong
A sample can appear low-foam in a bottle but foam during circulation. Changes in surfactant blend, working temperature or water hardness can affect cleaning and rinsing. A formulation may remove soil yet leave a film, attack seals or require more rinsing than your process allows.
Approve the product through a controlled trial using your equipment, water and soil, then retain a sample and repeat the agreed batch checks. Keep cleaning performance and any disinfectant claim separate in the purchasing specification; a low-foam result does not demonstrate disinfection.
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 low-foam CIP detergent from China?
Finished cleaning preparations carry 4%. Selected surface-active preparations also have a standard 4% rate, with conditional 0% suspensions for specified products. Confirm the formulation and code.
Do industrial CIP detergents need a safety data sheet?
Confirm applicable safety data sheet, hazard-label and packaging requirements with HSE for the actual mixture. Obtain documents matching the actual formulation, rather than a generic factory sheet.
How do I check a CIP detergent is low-foam?
Run a circulation trial at your agreed dilution, temperature and water hardness. Record foam formation and collapse, cleaning performance and the rinse endpoint.
Can I use the same detergent on every CIP system?
Check each system's soil, wetted materials, seals, dosing method and rinse conditions. Agree compatibility tests and a controlled trial before approving routine use.