Sourcing Tetralin from China

Tetralin duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2902 covers cyclic hydrocarbons. The supplied facts do not name Tetralin separately. The proposed Other line, 2902 90 00 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed.

The supplied tariff attaches an export waste control to this line. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether any requirement affects your transaction, particularly if the material is recovered solvent or waste. The table repeats the same tariff line for purchasing specifications; these are not separate tariff subdivisions.

Confirm the commodity code using the substance identity, composition and certificate of analysis before ordering. Solvent blends may fall elsewhere. See the wider cyclic hydrocarbons guide for other products under this heading.

Specify Tetralin identity, impurities and water

Specify Tetralin by chemical identity and intended process, rather than accepting a supplier's generic solvent description. Agree assay, named impurities, water, colour and test methods. Ask the supplier to report naphthalene and decalin separately, and disclose any additives. Set acceptance criteria around your process trial rather than the grade name alone.

For imports into Great Britain, UK REACH registration applies at or above one tonne per year per substance and legal entity. Establish your registration position before ordering. Before placing imported chemicals on the Great Britain market, ensure they are correctly classified, labelled and packaged.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative drum-packed Tetralin order; classification to confirm under 2902 90 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,000, so it is £4,200. 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 the purchase specification, batch certificate and safety data sheet; investigate any difference in composition or product name.

Assay and impurities: test a representative batch sample against the agreed assay and named impurity limits, using the agreed method.

Water and appearance: check water and colour against the contract, and record unexpected haze, sediment or discolouration.

Packing and traceability: check drum seals, leaks, batch identification and label accuracy; link received samples to the supplier's batch certificate.

What goes wrong

A purity headline can hide an impurity profile that does not suit your process. Water, residues from reused containers or undisclosed additives can also undermine an otherwise acceptable sample. Compare production-batch results with the approved sample and keep a retained sample for disputes.

A supplier's certificate does not establish your importer's compliance position. Resolve chemical identity, classification and registration before shipment, and agree who investigates failed arrival tests. Use the quality inspection guide to define checks and 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.