Sourcing Triphenyl Phosphate from China

Triphenyl phosphate duty and tariff controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2919 covers phosphoric esters and their salts and specified derivatives. Triphenyl phosphate is not separately named in the supplied lines: the residual line 2919 90 00 90 carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. The table shows purchasing forms of this same tariff line.

The supplied tariff attaches dangerous-chemical export control and waste export control to this line. Ask your customs broker to confirm their relevance to the shipment and any import requirements before dispatch. HSE states that there are no PIC notification obligations for imports; that statement does not establish whether a particular substance is PIC-listed.

Give your broker the chemical identity, composition and intended use to confirm the commodity code, particularly if the supplier offers a formulated blend. See the wider phosphate flame retardant guide for other esters.

Specify purity, acidity and solid form

Specify triphenyl phosphate by chemical identity rather than the supplier's flame-retardant trade name. Agree assay, impurity reporting, residual phenol, acid value, moisture, colour and melting behaviour. State whether crystals, flakes or powder suit your feeding equipment, and agree packaging and storage conditions. Qualify a sample in the actual formulation before accepting a production batch.

For Great Britain, confirm with HSE whether your annual import volume requires UK REACH registration coverage and whether an only representative arrangement is appropriate. Check that the coverage matches your substance and supply chain. Chemical classification law also establishes a duty to classify chemicals. Obtain an English safety data sheet and review the proposed packaging labels before shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order of bagged triphenyl phosphate under 2919 90 00 90, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,480. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,480, so it is £696. 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: match the purchase specification, batch certificate and safety data sheet; test assay and the agreed impurity profile.

Acidity and moisture: compare batch results with the approved sample using the agreed methods, rather than accepting a generic certificate.

Physical condition: check colour, foreign matter, caking and the agreed solid form; investigate material that has fused during transport.

Packing and traceability: check seals, liners, batch labels and net contents; retain a representative sample. Plan checks using our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A supplier substitutes a phosphate blend for the specified substance, or a certificate reports only assay while leaving acidity and residual phenol untested. Material can also arrive fused or caked, making feeding difficult. Set acceptance criteria before ordering and compare the delivered batch with the qualified sample.

A batch certificate does not establish registration coverage or replace safety information. Confirm the chemical supply arrangements before shipping, and pass safety data sheet information to customers when supplying onward.

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.