Sourcing Triacetin from China

Triacetin duty and the residual acetate line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, heading 2915 covers saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids and their derivatives. Triacetin falls within the residual acetic acid ester line, 2915 39 00 90, carrying 4% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure is recorded for this line. The table shows purchasing specifications sharing this code, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The line lists a 0.00 % autonomous suspension restricted to named substances. Triacetin is not named, so this record does not support claiming that suspension for triacetin. It also attaches an export control for waste. Waste shipment controls apply only if the material is waste; for a waste consignment from China, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker and the relevant environmental authority.

Confirm the commodity code against the actual composition and intended presentation, particularly if the supplier offers a formulated mixture. For the wider acetate heading, see ethyl acetate sourcing.

Specify triacetin grade and formulation performance

State whether the purchase is for an industrial formulation, laboratory work or a proposed food use. Agree assay, water, acidity, colour and residual glycerol or partially acetylated material, with test methods and acceptance limits written into the purchase specification. Ask for a batch-specific certificate of analysis and retain an approved sample for comparison.

For applicable new UK REACH registrations, HSE says a complete registration is required before manufacture or imports into Great Britain reach 1 tonne per year. Review annual imports of the substance before ordering. For food applications, check the proposed use separately: official guidance says most additives are permitted only in certain foods and are subject to specific quantitative limits. A supplier's food-grade description does not establish suitability for your recipe.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative palletised drum order of industrial triacetin under 2915 39 00 90, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,980. Duty at 4% is £319.20. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,299.20, so it is £1,659.84. Import taxes total £1,979.04; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £319.20 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the product name, batch references and composition across the order, certificate of analysis, safety information and drum labels.

Analysis: compare assay, water, acidity and colour with the agreed methods and limits; investigate results copied unchanged between batches.

Packaging: check closures, seals, drum condition and leakage, and ask for the packaging's previous contents where reused containers are proposed.

Arrival sample: retain a traceable sample and compare laboratory results and formulation performance with the approved sample before releasing the batch.

What goes wrong

A batch can meet the supplier's general assay specification but fail your formulation because water, acidity or residual components were never agreed. A sample approved for industrial use may also be offered as food grade without evidence addressing the proposed application. Specify the purchasing grade and acceptance tests before approving bulk supply.

Leaking closures, contaminated reused drums and certificates that cannot be traced to the delivered batch create avoidable disputes. Keep affected material separate while investigating. Another error is claiming the residual line's suspension simply because it appears beside the code, without checking the named substances.

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.