Sourcing carbon black pastes from China
Non-aqueous carbon black pigment pastes for paint manufacture carry 0% UK duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty shown. GB importers must arrange competent hazard classification and check the formulation's UK REACH position. Cambridge China Bridge sources non-aqueous carbon black pigment pastes.
Zero duty on non-aqueous carbon black pastes
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 3212 covers pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media in liquid or paste form for paint manufacture, alongside stamping foils and retail colouring matter. The relevant line for these carbon black pastes is 3212 90 00 00, carrying 0% duty from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is shown. The supplied tariff facts contain only this relevant commodity line.
The tariff attaches a restriction on entry into free circulation concerning ozone-depleting substances, plus import and export waste controls. Check the carrier formulation and confirm the ozone-related declaration with your customs broker. For waste imported into England under notification controls, the exporter must seek consent from the competent authority in China. If the paste contains regulated ozone-depleting substances, confirm whether import is permitted and what licence is required before shipment.
Give your broker the composition, non-aqueous carrier and intended use to confirm the commodity code. This guide concerns pigment dispersions for paint manufacture; describe the actual preparation rather than declaring it simply as carbon black. For the wider product family, see non-aqueous universal tinting pastes.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-aqueous carbon black pigment pastes for paint manufacture | 3212 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the carrier, blackness and dispersion
Specify the carbon black grade, pigment content, carrier solvent, resin and dispersant. Agree viscosity at a stated test temperature, dispersion fineness, full-shade blackness, undertone and tinting strength against a retained sample. Trial the paste in your actual paint binder: compatibility in the supplier's test coating does not establish compatibility in yours.
Arrange competent hazard classification and provide hazard labels and English safety data sheets where required. Under UK REACH, registration concerns the constituent substances rather than the paste as a mixture; assess each substance's aggregated annual imports against the tonne threshold and confirm any applicable representative coverage or exemption. Ask for composition information sufficient to make those checks before ordering.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 400 kg of non-aqueous carbon black pigment paste in sealed pails under 3212 90 00 00, invoiced at £6,800 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,500, so it is £1,500. 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
Colour and strength: compare full-shade and tinted drawdowns with the approved sample using the same binder, dosage, film application and drying conditions.
Dispersion and flow: check grind fineness and viscosity by the agreed methods; look for agglomerates, hard sediment and separation after the agreed storage trial.
Binder compatibility: trial mixing into the intended coating and check for flocculation, colour change after rubbing the wet film, gloss loss and changes in curing.
Packing and identity: check seals, leakage, net contents and batch identifiers against the analysis certificate; match the supplied grade to the safety data sheet and label.
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What goes wrong
A paste can look black in the pail yet produce a weak or differently toned coating. Poor dispersion leaves specks; an incompatible dispersant causes flocculation and uneven colour. Carrier or resin substitution can change viscosity, gloss and curing even when the pigment content is unchanged.
Agree a retained reference and written acceptance methods before production. Test arrival samples before releasing the batch into manufacture, and investigate hard settling or leaking pails. Require approval before changes to pigment, carrier, resin or dispersant; do not accept a generic carbon black safety data sheet as the description of the complete paste.
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 carbon black pigment paste from China?
The supplied tariff reading shows 0% for non-aqueous pastes for paint manufacture under 3212 90 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
Does UK REACH apply to carbon black pigment pastes?
Check the constituent substances and their aggregated annual imports. The mixture itself is not registered; constituent registration requirements depend on tonnage and any applicable coverage or exemption.
Will the paste work in my existing paint?
Trial it in your actual binder. Match the carrier, resin and dispersant, then compare shade, strength, viscosity, gloss and curing with your approved reference.
How do I check a carbon black paste batch?
Compare full-shade and tinted drawdowns, test dispersion fineness and viscosity, check settling and binder compatibility, and inspect seals and batch paperwork.