Sourcing mesityl oxide from China

Mesityl oxide: 4% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2914 covers ketones and quinones and their specified derivatives. For separately defined mesityl oxide, the candidate commodity code is 2914 19 90 90, the residual line for other acyclic ketones without another oxygen function. The table repeats this line for different purchasing formats; these are not separate tariff subheadings.

The supplied tariff data shows 4% duty on goods from China and no anti-dumping or countervailing measure. The line's 0% suspension names other substances and does not cover mesityl oxide. It also attaches dangerous-chemical and waste export controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether either control affects the proposed movement rather than treating an export entry as an import authorisation requirement.

Confirm the commodity code using the substance identity, full composition and intended presentation. A mesityl-oxide-based solvent blend needs its own classification assessment. For other substances in this heading, see the acetone and ketone solvents guide.

Specify mesityl oxide by assay and impurity profile

Agree the assay, water content, colour, acidity and residue on evaporation, together with test methods and acceptance criteria. Ask the factory to identify residual acetone, diacetone alcohol and other organic impurities in its analysis. State whether virgin material is required, describe the intended solvent or synthesis use, and approve a sample in your process before ordering.

For imports into Great Britain at or above 1 tonne per year, establish UK REACH registration coverage before shipment. HSE states that registration is per substance and legal entity. Before placing imported chemicals on the Great Britain market, the importer must classify, label and package them under the applicable chemical classification, labelling and packaging rules. Agree who prepares the supporting documents.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 tonnes of mesityl oxide in drums, illustrative only under 2914 19 90 90, invoiced at £21,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,500. Duty at 4% is £980. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,480, so it is £5,096. Import taxes total £6,076; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £980 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the substance name and composition across the purchase order, safety data sheet, batch certificate and package labels; investigate any description that says only ketone solvent.

Batch analysis: compare assay, water, colour, acidity and evaporation residue with the agreed specification. Ask an independent laboratory to check the impurity profile against the approved sample.

Containers: inspect closures, gaskets, seals, damage and signs of leakage on arrival. Match package markings and transport documents to the declared material before dispatch.

Traceability: match batch references to the containers and analysis certificates. Arrange retained samples through a competent sampler and record receipt condition before releasing material for use.

What goes wrong

An assay result alone can hide a different impurity profile. Residual feedstock, excessive water, colour or evaporation residue can make a batch unsuitable for the buyer's process. Recovered material supplied against a virgin-material order and leaking closures are further rejection risks. Put these checks into the purchase specification rather than accepting an unqualified industrial-grade description.

Keep chemical-product and waste status clear. For waste imports under notification controls into England, the exporter applies through the dispatch country's authority, and shipment requires the relevant authorities' consent. HSE says dangerous-chemical prior informed consent has no import notification obligation, but imports of listed chemicals require annual quantity reporting. Have the broker confirm the tariff controls and the material's status before booking.

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.