Sourcing potassium peroxide from China

Potassium peroxide duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, potassium peroxide under 2815 30 00 00 carries 4% duty for goods from China. The supplied record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. Heading 2815 also covers sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and sodium peroxide; only the peroxide line is relevant here.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to this line. Ask your customs broker to confirm their application to the proposed consignment from China. If importing waste under notification controls into England, shipment can start only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved.

Confirm the substance and formulation before choosing the commodity code. The supplied facts contain only a single relevant line, shared with sodium peroxide. See the sodium peroxide guide for the related product.

Specify peroxide identity and batch assay

Write potassium peroxide explicitly in the purchase specification. Ask the factory to distinguish it from potassium superoxide and potassium hydroxide, and provide a batch certificate of analysis identifying the substance, assay method, agreed impurity limits and physical form. Do not accept a generic certificate for potassium chemicals.

Agree particle size, allowable fines, pack material, closure design and sampling arrangements with the supplier and receiving laboratory. Ask for an English safety data sheet, as set out in the site's chemical guide. For sale in Great Britain, confirm the applicable classification requirements with HSE; the importer must ensure the chemical is correctly labelled and packaged before placing it on the market.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative specialist laboratory order: 25 kg of potassium peroxide under 2815 30 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,000. Duty at 4% is £760. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,760, so it is £3,952. Import taxes total £4,712; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £760 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the purchase specification, batch certificate, safety data sheet and package description to potassium peroxide.

Assay: have a competent laboratory check the agreed peroxide assay and named impurities using the contractual test method.

Packaging: check closures, visible damage, leakage and batch markings without opening packs outside the agreed handling procedure.

Release documents: check that the batch results meet the contract and that classification, labels and packaging have been reviewed before sale. Arrange testing and certification support where needed.

What goes wrong

A quotation for potassium superoxide or potassium hydroxide does not satisfy a potassium peroxide specification. A certificate showing only potassium content also leaves peroxide identity and assay unresolved. Make acceptance depend on the named substance and agreed analytical results.

Broken closures, mismatched batch numbers and missing test methods leave the buyer unable to establish what arrived. Hold affected stock pending specialist assessment and agree replacement or rejection terms before ordering. Use the inspection guide to organise the evidence.

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.