Sourcing PBT plastic scrap from China

PBT scrap: 0% UK duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 9 October 2026, heading 3915 covers waste, parings and scrap of plastics. PBT manufacturing scrap falls within the other-plastics line, 3915 90 70 00, subject to confirmation for the actual material. The table shows forms sharing this code, rather than separate tariff lines.

The supplied tariff record shows 0% duty for goods from China on this line, no anti-dumping or countervailing measure, no suspension and no attached import control. This does not remove waste shipment rules. Mixed or contaminated plastic waste needs prior notification and consent. For eligible green-list imports into England, the exporter must complete an Annex VII form describing the waste and journey.

Confirm the commodity code using the polymer composition, physical form and processing history. Do not assume processed regrind or recycled pellets use the scrap code. Agree the waste procedure with the receiving recycler, customs broker and relevant regulator before shipment from China. See the wider plastic scrap guide.

Specify the PBT grade and scrap source

Identify PBT as polybutylene terephthalate and state whether the scrap comes from moulding sprues, offcuts or rejected production parts. Separate unfilled, glass-filled and flame-retardant grades. Ask for the original resin grade, production source and additive information rather than accepting a description of mixed engineering plastic.

Agree colour, filler content, moisture, other-polymer contamination, metal residues and the sampling method. Record any previous grinding or heat processing. Ask the intended recycler to assess a representative sample and confirm suitability for its process before accepting the lot.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of sorted PBT manufacturing offcuts under 3915 90 70 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £11,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £11,000, so it is £2,200. 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: compare sampled material with the declared PBT grade using polymer identification and supplier production records.

Composition: check glass or mineral filler content and declared flame-retardant additives against the agreed specification.

Condition: inspect inside bags for mixed polymers, metal inserts, dirt and wet material; test moisture on representative samples.

Documents: match lot labels, packing records and the waste shipment description to the inspected material and receiving facility.

What goes wrong

A load described as PBT can contain other engineering plastics, different filler grades or metal inserts from rejected components. A surface sample can miss wet or dirty material deeper in the bags. These differences can make the load unsuitable for the buyer's recycling or compounding process.

Settle how sampling, rejection and replacement will work before loading. A zero duty rate does not establish that a waste shipment is acceptable. Check the route and waste procedure before committing to the order, and use an agreed inspection plan.

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.