Sourcing Trisodium Phosphate from China

Trisodium phosphate duty: 4%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, trisodium phosphate under 2835 29 30 00 carries 4% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. Heading 2835 covers phosphinates, phosphonates, phosphates and polyphosphates; this guide concerns trisodium phosphate only.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to this line. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For material shipped from China as waste, confirm the applicable notification, consent and documentation requirements with your customs broker and the relevant environmental authority before shipment.

The table shows purchasing variants of the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the chemical identity, hydration state, composition and commodity code, especially for blended cleaning preparations. See phosphates and STPP for the wider heading.

Specify hydration state and intended use

Specify anhydrous or hydrated trisodium phosphate explicitly. Agree whether assay is reported on the supplied material or a dry basis, together with moisture, insoluble matter, particle size and the test methods. Ask the supplier to identify the hydration state on the specification and batch analysis certificate.

For food use, confirm the applicable additive purity specifications for food-grade sodium phosphates, including relevant impurity limits, with the relevant food authority. A technical-grade certificate does not establish food-grade suitability. For consumer laundry or automatic dishwasher formulations, check the restrictions on phosphorus content described in the wider phosphate guide.

For imports of one tonne or more of a substance annually, confirm your UK REACH position with HSE before importing. Before placing imported chemicals on the Great Britain market, arrange competent classification and check labelling and packaging. Agree the required documentation before accepting the supplier's production sample.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative bulk order: 40 tonnes of technical-grade trisodium phosphate under 2835 29 30 00, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £43,000. Duty at 4% is £1,720. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £44,720, so it is £8,944. Import taxes total £10,664; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,720 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the product name, hydration state and grade on the bags, specification and batch analysis certificate.

Analysis: check assay basis, moisture and insoluble matter against the agreed specification; for food grade, review the relevant impurity results.

Packing: inspect liners, seals and pallet protection for tears, dampness and leakage; photograph caked material before opening further bags.

Traceability: match bag batch references to the analysis certificate and retain a representative arrival sample for comparison with the approved sample.

What goes wrong

Anhydrous and hydrated material can be quoted under the same product name. Comparing assay figures without their reporting basis can conceal a specification mismatch. Another failure is technical grade arriving against a food-grade order, with analysis that omits the relevant impurities.

Damp packing can leave powder caked and difficult to dose. Agree lined bags, dry loading conditions and a response to failed arrival tests. Compare the delivered batch with the approved sample and use testing and certification support where independent analysis is needed.

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.