Sourcing soda ash and carbonates from China
Carbonates from China, including soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, potassium, calcium and lithium carbonates and sodium percarbonate, mostly pay 4% UK duty with no anti-dumping duty. Soda ash can enter at 0% until 31 December 2028 under a claimed suspension, and so can lithium carbonate above set impurity levels and sodium percarbonate to 30 June 2027. Cambridge China Bridge sources carbonates.
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4% with several suspensions
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, disodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonates, calcium carbonate, barium, strontium and lithium carbonates, zirconium carbonate and peroxocarbonates carried 4% duty on goods from China, and magnesium and copper carbonates 0%, with no anti-dumping measure. Autonomous suspensions reduce several of these to 0%: disodium carbonate until 31 December 2028 when claimed with additional code 2710, and sodium percarbonate of at least 85% purity until 30 June 2027. Zirconium (IV) basic carbonate of 96% purity or more (2836 99 17 30) is also suspended to 0% until 31 December 2028.
Lithium carbonate has two lines. Material containing impurities at or above listed levels, such as 300 mg/kg of sodium or 200 mg/kg of calcium measured by European Pharmacopoeia methods, is suspended to 0% until 31 December 2028, while purer lithium carbonate pays 4%, so the certificate of analysis decides the rate. Ground natural chalk and limestone are minerals in chapter 25, so confirm the commodity code. For lithium hydroxide procurement, see our lithium hydroxide and metal oxides sourcing guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disodium carbonate (soda ash) | 2836 20 00 00 | 4%; 0% with additional code 2710 until 31 Dec 2028 | None |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 2836 30 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Potassium carbonates | 2836 40 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Calcium carbonate | 2836 50 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Lithium carbonate above listed impurity levels | 2836 91 00 20 | 4%; suspended to 0% until 31 Dec 2028 | None |
| Other lithium carbonate | 2836 91 00 90 | 4% | None |
| Zirconium (IV) basic carbonate, 96% purity or more | 2836 99 17 30 | 4%; suspended to 0% until 31 Dec 2028 | None |
| Peroxocarbonates (percarbonates) | 2836 99 90 00 | 4%; 0% for sodium percarbonate of 85% purity or more until 30 Jun 2027 | None |
Grades and hazards
Food-grade sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate and calcium carbonate are the additives E 500, E 501 and E 170 and must meet the purity criteria on the FSA register of authorised food additives, so ask for the grade and a certificate of analysis per batch. Technical and food grades are made on different lines, and the grade on the bag should match the certificate. For related food-grade salt sourcing, see our sulphates and alums guide.
Under GB CLP, soda ash causes serious eye irritation, and sodium percarbonate is an oxidising solid that ships as dangerous goods under UN 3378, so it needs UN packaging, labels and a safety data sheet. Importers of one tonne or more a year need a UK REACH position.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 20 tonnes of potassium carbonate, entered under 2836 40 00 00: £22,000 free on board plus £2,500 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £24,500. The 4% duty on potassium carbonate comes to £980, and import VAT is 20% of £25,480, which is £5,096. If you are VAT-registered you normally reclaim the £5,096, leaving £980 as the real cost at the border. Soda ash under 2836 20 00 00, declared with additional code 2710, would pay 0% while its suspension runs. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
What goes wrong
Carbonates fail on assay, impurities and moisture. Soda ash and bicarbonate cake in damp containers, assay falls short or chloride and iron exceed the specification, technical grade is supplied against a food-grade order, and heavy metals exceed the additive purity criteria. Lithium carbonate impurities decide both its use and its duty line, and percarbonate loses active oxygen and can decompose if stored hot or damp.
Ask for a certificate of analysis per batch covering assay, chloride, iron, heavy metals and moisture, test the first delivery in a UK laboratory, check the grade on the bags against the order and certificate, use lined bags and dry containers, and for percarbonate check active oxygen and UN packaging before loading.
Cambridge China Bridge sources soda ash, bicarbonate, potassium, calcium and lithium carbonates and percarbonate, with grade and certificates agreed before shipment. See how we source industrial chemicals. For caustic alkali procurement, see our caustic soda and caustic potash guide.
Related guides: Carbonate and phosphite esters from China and Caustic soda and caustic potash from China.
Related guides: Sourcing fluorides and cryolite from China.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on soda ash from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, disodium carbonate carried 4%, or 0% until 31 December 2028 when the suspension is claimed with additional code 2710.
What duty does lithium carbonate pay?
Lithium carbonate above listed impurity levels is suspended to 0% until 31 December 2028; purer lithium carbonate pays 4%.
Is sodium percarbonate dangerous goods?
Yes. It is an oxidising solid shipped under UN 3378.
Do food-grade carbonates have purity rules?
Yes. E 500, E 501 and E 170 must meet the assimilated food additive specifications.