Sourcing sodium percarbonate from China

Sodium percarbonate duty and suspension

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, heading 2836 covers carbonates and peroxocarbonates. Sodium percarbonate falls within the peroxocarbonates line, 2836 99 90 00. All specification rows below use this same tariff line. For other products in the heading, see soda ash and carbonates.

The ordinary duty for goods from China is 4%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded. An autonomous suspension provides 0% for qualifying sodium percarbonate. Its footnote names material with minimum 85% purity and material with purity by weight above 99%. Ask your customs broker to confirm which suspension specification applies to the batch before claiming relief; supply its certificate of analysis.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. If the material is waste, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker before shipping. For imports into England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the authority in the country of dispatch for consent. Confirm the commodity code using the composition and intended supply form.

Specify assay and active oxygen separately

Specify sodium percarbonate assay, active oxygen, moisture, particle size, coating and dissolution behaviour. Agree test methods and acceptance limits in the purchase specification. Ask the factory to identify any coating ingredients and provide a certificate of analysis for each batch. Test a sample in your intended cleaning formulation before approving supply.

Sodium percarbonate is an oxidising solid. Confirm with the carrier or relevant transport authority whether UN 3378 applies and which dangerous goods packaging, labelling and documentation requirements apply; obtain a safety data sheet for review. Suppliers are responsible for correct labelling and packaging before placing chemicals on the Great Britain market. Confirm your UK REACH position with HSE or your customs broker against your annual import volume.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of sodium percarbonate, assuming the suspension is not claimed under 2836 99 90 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,500. Duty at 4% is £980. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,480, so it is £5,096. Import taxes total £6,076; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £980 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Batch identity: match bag markings, batch references and the certificate of analysis to the order.

Assay and active oxygen: arrange independent sampling and testing against the agreed methods and limits.

Condition: inspect for moisture, caking, excessive fines, damaged liners and leaking bags.

Packaging and documents: check dangerous goods packaging and labels against the safety data sheet before loading; repeat the condition check on arrival.

What goes wrong

Heat and damp storage can reduce active oxygen and cause decomposition. A batch can meet the agreed assay while failing the active oxygen specification. Poor liners, wet containers and damaged bags can leave material caked or leaking on arrival. Retain a loading sample and compare it with an arrival sample when investigating a failed batch.

A factory description such as washing powder can conceal a mixture rather than the specified sodium percarbonate. Obtain the full composition before confirming classification or suspension eligibility. A generic certificate gives little assurance about the delivered batch; link each report to the bag markings and retain the inspection record.

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.