Sourcing iron oxyhydroxide granules from China

4% duty on unblended iron oxyhydroxide granules

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, iron oxides and hydroxides under 2821 10 00 00 carried 4% duty on goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Heading 2821 also covers earth colours, which are outside this guide. The table describes purchasing variants within the same commodity line.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls to this line. For spent or recovered granules from China, ask your customs broker to confirm whether waste controls apply and what clearance requires. For waste imported into England under notification controls, shipment can start only after the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved have consented.

Confirm the composition and form before choosing the commodity code. Granules with binders and prepared colour products may fall in chapter 32, as explained in our wider iron oxide pigments guide. This guide covers unblended granules; do not assume a composite filter medium shares their classification.

Specify composition, moisture and granule performance

Name iron oxyhydroxide in the purchase specification and ask the factory to disclose binders, carriers, fillers and other additions. Agree iron content, moisture, soluble impurities, particle size distribution, bulk density and resistance to abrasion. State whether analytical results are reported on a dry or as-supplied basis.

For adsorption use, specify the target contaminant and agree a trial using representative process water. Record water chemistry, flow conditions, contact conditions and the endpoint used to assess performance. Compare the supplied granules with an approved sample; a powder analysis alone does not establish performance in a packed bed.

Check your UK REACH position before ordering. Some UK REACH obligations apply at one tonne per year or more. For supply in Great Britain, everyone in the chemical supply chain is responsible for correct labelling and packaging before products are placed on the market. Ask for the safety data sheet and batch analysis when reviewing the supplier's documentation.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of unblended iron oxyhydroxide granules under 2821 10 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,200. Duty at 4% is £728. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,928, so it is £3,785.60. Import taxes total £4,513.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £728 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare the batch analysis and declared composition with the agreed unblended material; retain samples for independent analysis.

Granules: sieve samples from different bags, record fines and oversize material, and compare abrasion resistance with the approved sample.

Moisture and performance: check moisture and bulk density on the agreed basis; repeat the agreed adsorption trial where performance is an acceptance condition.

Packing: check liners, seals, bag condition, net weights and batch identification; look for leakage, wet patches and crushed granules.

What goes wrong

A supplier can quote iron content on a dry basis while delivering wetter granules, making apparently comparable offers different. Undisclosed binders or carriers change the material being bought. Granules that crumble during handling create fines, and an adsorption claim measured in different water may fail to predict performance in your process.

Agree the sampling method, analytical basis and acceptance tests before shipment. Keep batch samples and investigate differences before loading the material into equipment. Use testing and certification support to arrange the agreed independent checks.

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.