Sourcing tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate from China

Duty on tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, chemical identity 78-51-3, falls under 2919 90 00 70 within heading 2919 for phosphoric esters and their salts. Chinese-origin goods carry 0% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.

The tariff attaches export control on dangerous chemicals and export control on waste. These are labelled as export measures. HSE states that there are no prior informed consent notification obligations for imports. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether any listed-chemical or waste requirements affect the actual consignment, especially returned or discarded material.

Confirm the commodity code against the chemical identity and composition supplied, rather than a generic phosphate ester description. This guide covers the named substance; the phosphate flame retardants guide covers the wider heading.

Specify the butoxyethyl phosphate grade

Write tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate and chemical identity 78-51-3 into the purchase specification. Agree assay, water, acid value, colour and viscosity, including the test method and measurement temperature where relevant. Ask the factory to disclose additives and provide a certificate of analysis for the actual batch.

Trial the proposed grade in your own formulation before approving bulk supply. Compare film formation, flexibility and appearance where these matter to your application. Keep an approved sample for comparison with later deliveries.

For Great Britain, ask HSE to confirm the applicable UK REACH registration requirements and whether an only-representative arrangement covers your imports, taking account of annual volume. Confirm coverage before ordering. Chemicals must be correctly labelled and packaged before market supply; hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use require a safety data sheet.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Drummed trial batch of tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, illustrative under 2919 90 00 70, 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 chemical name and identity on the order, batch certificate, drum labels and safety data sheet; investigate any generic phosphate ester description.

Batch properties: compare independently checked assay, acidity, water, colour and viscosity with the agreed specification and approved sample.

Packing: check drum closures, seals, leakage, damage and batch traceability; inspect a safely drawn sample for haze or sediment.

Documents: obtain an English safety data sheet and check that its product identity and handling information match the delivered grade. Arrange batch testing against the purchase specification.

What goes wrong

A substitute phosphate ester can pass a superficial appearance check while behaving differently in the buyer's formulation. Unagreed additives, excessive water, acidity or inconsistent viscosity can also make a delivery unsuitable. Avoid approving a batch solely from a generic supplier certificate.

Hold leaking, misidentified or out-of-specification drums for investigation. Compare retained samples and batch records before accepting a replacement or changing the formulation. Set out sampling and release checks using the quality inspection guide.

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.