Sourcing polycarbonate scrap from China

Polycarbonate scrap: 0% UK duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 14 November 2026, heading 3915 covers waste, parings and scrap of plastics. Polycarbonate scrap fits the other-plastics line, 3915 90 70 00, carrying 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control on this line. The table shows different scrap forms sharing that code.

An empty tariff control entry does not remove waste shipment obligations. Clean sorted plastic scrap for recycling is treated differently from mixed or contaminated waste, which needs prior notification and consent. For notified imports into England, the recovery facility must have a waste permit or exemption allowing the treatment described in the notification document. Confirm the procedure with the receiving facility, regulator and customs broker before loading.

Confirm the commodity code from the polymer, physical form and processing history. Recycled pellets that are no longer waste belong with primary plastics rather than this scrap heading. See the ABS plastic scrap guide for related purchases within the wider heading.

Specify the polycarbonate source and form

Separate manufacturing offcuts and moulding sprues from used sheets or dismantled parts. Specify the source grade, colour, transparency, coatings, protective film, fillers and any flame-retardant formulation. Ask whether the load contains polycarbonate alone or blends with other polymers.

Agree limits for moisture, metal, labels, dirt and other plastics, plus the sampling and acceptance method. Keep an approved sample and ask for photographs showing the material throughout the load. For onward sale as waste in England or Wales, ensure the recipient has the correct authorisation.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of sorted polycarbonate sheet 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 representative samples with the agreed polymer and grade; investigate mixed colours or unfamiliar fragments.

Contamination: open sampled bags and check beneath the surface for protective film, rubber, metal, labels and other plastics.

Condition: check moisture, dirt, odour and discolouration; trial the material in the intended recycling process.

Documents: match the source, material description, batch identification and receiving facility to the actual load and agreed waste procedure.

What goes wrong

A clear-looking load can contain coated sheets or other transparent polymers. Protective film raises contamination, and mixed grades can produce inconsistent processing results. A surface sample can miss dirty or mixed material deeper inside the bags.

Set acceptance and rejection terms before purchase, sample before loading and repeat the checks on arrival. Keep disputed material separate while resolving the claim. Use the quality inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.

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.