Sourcing methyl isoamyl ketone from China

Methyl isoamyl ketone: 0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, methyl isoamyl ketone, named as 5-methylhexan-2-one under 2914 19 10 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. Heading 2914 covers ketones and quinones and specified derivatives; this guide covers only methyl isoamyl ketone.

The tariff attaches an export control for waste to this line. For material classed as waste, confirm the applicable import requirements with your customs broker before shipment from China. For waste entering England under notification controls, the competent authorities of destination, dispatch and transit must consent before shipment.

Confirm the substance and commodity code using the composition and chemical identity, rather than the supplier's abbreviated product name. Solvent blends and thinners need separate classification. See the wider ketone solvents guide. The table contains only the relevant methyl isoamyl ketone line.

Specify methyl isoamyl ketone by identity and grade

Write methyl isoamyl ketone and 5-methylhexan-2-one into the purchase specification. Agree whether the material must be virgin or may be recovered. Set acceptance criteria for assay, water, colour, acidity and residue on evaporation, with agreed laboratory methods. Request a batch certificate of analysis and a sample for a trial in your actual process.

For supply in Great Britain, chemical classification is the importer's responsibility. Suppliers must ensure correct labelling and packaging before placing chemicals on the market. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for use at work. Check that the safety information, drum labels and analysis certificate identify the same material.

Before ordering, confirm your UK REACH registration position and the applicable annual import threshold with HSE. Agree drum material, closure and gasket compatibility, batch identification and sampling arrangements. Ask the freight provider to review the product's transport information before accepting the shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order: one tonne in drums under 2914 19 10 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £860 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,360. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,360, so it is £672. 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

Identity: match the purchase specification, analysis certificate, safety data sheet and drum labels to methyl isoamyl ketone.

Batch quality: compare assay, water, colour, acidity and evaporation residue with the agreed limits; use an independent laboratory for the first delivery.

Drums: check seals, closures, dents, corrosion, staining and evidence of leakage before loading and again on arrival.

Traceability: match batch identifiers and drum quantities to the packing list; record sampling details and retain a labelled batch sample.

What goes wrong

An order described only as methyl amyl ketone can leave the chemical identity unclear. Another failure is recovered solvent supplied against a virgin-material specification. Require the exact substance name and an impurity profile, then compare the delivered batch with the approved sample.

Water, colour or residue outside the agreed limits can make a batch unsuitable for your process. Leaking closures and mismatched batch paperwork complicate rejection and investigation. Hold suspect drums apart, document the condition and arrange testing before using or blending the material.

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.