Sourcing maleinised linseed oil from China

Duty on maleinised linseed oil

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 1518 covers chemically modified fats and oils and certain inedible oil mixtures. Unblended maleinised linseed oil is a candidate for 1518 00 91 80. The table includes conditional mixture comparisons, not interchangeable grades of this product. For the wider heading, see our linseed stand oil guide.

Goods from China under 1518 00 91 80 carry 6%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension recorded. Other inedible oil preparations under 1518 00 99 90 also carry 6%. The selected biodiesel-blend lines carry 7.70% and a residual anti-dumping rate of 54.64%. Their tariff records also attach anti-dumping or countervailing registration; confirm the requirement with your customs broker.

The selected lines attach veterinary, CITES and waste import controls; the modified-oil lines also attach seal-product controls. Product-specific veterinary, CITES and seal-document requirements for this Chinese plant-derived oil have not been established here, so confirm applicability and declaration requirements with your customs broker. Supply the reaction description, full formulation, feedstock origin and waste status when confirming the commodity code.

Specify the reaction product and coating performance

Specify maleinised linseed oil rather than ordinary linseed oil or a mixture containing free maleic anhydride. Ask for the feedstock, reaction description, substance identity, added solvents and other oils. Agree acid value, viscosity with its measurement temperature, colour, moisture, insoluble matter and residual free maleic anhydride, together with the test methods.

Trial the sample in your intended resin or coating formulation. Check compatibility, dilution behaviour, drying and film appearance against an approved sample. Establish substance identity for the UK REACH review: registration is per substance and per legal entity. Before ordering, ask a chemical adviser to assess the relevant registration obligations.

Substances and mixtures placed on the Great Britain market must be classified and labelled under its chemical classification and labelling rules. Request the safety data sheet for the actual supplied formulation and check it against the proposed drum label.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order: 2 tonnes of maleinised linseed oil in sealed drums under 1518 00 91 80, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,500. Duty at 6% is £390. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,890, so it is £1,378. Import taxes total £1,768; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £390 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Most food for human consumption is zero-rated, and animal feed can be too, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product in HMRC's VAT Notice 701/14.

Inspection checklist

Identity: check that the order, drum labels, safety data sheet and batch analysis describe the same reaction product and any added diluent.

Batch properties: independently check acid value, viscosity at the agreed temperature, moisture and residual free maleic anhydride against the purchase specification.

Appearance and performance: check for sediment, gel particles, separation and colour variation; repeat the agreed formulation trial with an arrival sample.

Drums and traceability: check seals, leaks, corrosion, batch marks and packing records. Retain samples linked to each batch for comparison.

What goes wrong

A matching trade name can conceal a different reaction product or dilution. Acid value and viscosity may suit the supplier's process but fail in yours. Water, sediment or gel particles can spoil mixing and film appearance. Approve the test methods and formulation trial before ordering, then compare shipment and arrival samples using the same methods.

Do not accept an unexplained description of recovered oil or waste-derived material. Establish its waste status and shipment route before dispatch. For waste moving under notification controls, consent from the dispatch, transit and destination authorities is needed before shipment. Review the evidence alongside the batch results using our inspection guide.

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.