Sourcing LLDPE rotomoulding powder from China

Duty depends on the polymer composition

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 3901 covers polymers of ethylene in primary forms. For this powder family, other linear polyethylene under 3901 10 10 90 carries 6% duty from China, while other ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers under 3901 40 00 90 carry 0%. The producer's composition statement matters more than the sales description.

The listed high-flow powder under 3901 10 10 20 has a 6% base duty and a 0% suspension excluding mixtures, preparations and products made up of different components containing it. The listed powder under 3901 40 00 10 carries 0%. These narrow descriptions are classification alternatives, not recommendations for your moulding process. The supplied tariff facts show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty on these lines.

The tariff attaches waste import and export controls. Waste shipment controls apply only to material classed as waste; plastic waste outside the qualifying simplified route requires notification and consent before shipment. For material from China, confirm waste status and the applicable requirements with your customs broker before dispatch. Confirm the commodity code using composition and the complete grade data sheet. See the wider polyethylene and EVA guide for other resin forms.

Specify the powder and the moulding result

Specify the base resin and comonomer, virgin or disclosed recycled content, melt flow rate, density, particle-size distribution, fines, bulk density, colour and stabiliser package. Agree test methods and acceptance limits with the factory. Ask whether the supplier produces the resin, compounds it or only grinds purchased pellets.

Approve a powder sample through your own rotational moulding cycle. Compare fusion, internal surface, bubbles, wall distribution, shrinkage and impact behaviour against the approved material. Record the mould, heating and cooling conditions so repeat batches can be compared fairly.

Confirm the UK REACH registration position for the polymer, monomers and additives with HSE, including whether any relevant registration is covered further up the supply chain. Establish that position before ordering. For food-contact containers, ask for a grade-specific declaration of compliance and the supporting migration testing.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 25 tonnes of rotational moulding powder; illustrative production order under 3901 10 10 90, invoiced at £26,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £29,000. Duty at 6% is £1,740. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,740, so it is £6,148. Import taxes total £7,888; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,740 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: check bag labels, producer, grade and batch numbers against the purchase order and certificate of analysis.

Powder: compare sieve results, fines, colour and visible contamination with the approved sample; check for lumps.

Performance: verify melt flow rate and density, then mould a retained arrival sample to check fusion, bubbles and impact behaviour.

Packing: check bag seams, liners and pallet wrapping for damage, dampness and powder leakage; retain samples by batch.

What goes wrong

A matching resin name can hide a different powder distribution or additive package. Excess fines, coarse particles or inconsistent grinding can change powder flow and fusion. Contamination, undisclosed recycled material and colour variation can make a batch unsuitable even when its melt flow rate matches.

A laboratory certificate alone does not establish performance in your mould. Agree a production trial and a process for holding failed batches before blending them into usable stock. A high-flow tariff description is not proof of rotational moulding suitability.

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.