Subheading · Chapter 85 · Heading 8549
8549.21: Containing primary cells, primary batteries, electric accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from cathode-ray tubes or other activated glass, or electrical or electronic components containing cadmium, mercury, lead or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
8549.21 is a six-digit subheading of heading 8549, electrical and electronic waste and scrap, chapter 85.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 8549 21 00 00 Containing primary cells, primary batteries, electric accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from cathode-ray tubes or other activated glass, or electrical or electronic components containing cadmium, mercury, lead or polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) Free
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 1
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 376
- Documents
- 9008
Import requirements 2
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control - Waste
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/590
- Documents
- C672 Information document accompanying shipments of waste as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 18 and Annex VII
- C669 Notification document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 - Article 5 and Annex IA
- Y923 Product not subjected to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157
- C670 Movement document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 5 and Annex IB
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code "EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | £2k | 100% | — |
 Hong Kong SAR China | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 Netherlands | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 Norway | £0 | 0% | -100% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$687kUS$687k+US$3m+US$7m+> US$19m
Exports: 85
- United States: US$39m
- United Kingdom: US$23m
- Germany: US$19m
- Brazil: US$12m
- Singapore: US$11m
- France: US$9m
- Netherlands: US$8m
- Taiwan: US$8m
- South Korea: US$7m
- Spain: US$7m
- Poland: US$7m
- Japan: US$7m
- Sweden: US$6m
- United Arab Emirates: US$6m
- Philippines: US$6m
- Canada: US$5m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$5m
- China: US$5m
- Türkiye: US$4m
- Israel: US$4m
- Czechia: US$3m
- South Africa: US$3m
- Nigeria: US$2m
- Thailand: US$2m
- Algeria: US$2m
- Lithuania: US$2m
- Vietnam: US$2m
- Colombia: US$2m
- Denmark: US$2m
- Malaysia: US$2m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$2m
- Bulgaria: US$1m
- Panama: US$1m
- Ireland: US$1m
- Mexico: US$948k
- Australia: US$823k
- Kazakhstan: US$737k
- Uzbekistan: US$735k
- Ecuador: US$725k
- Switzerland: US$707k
- Austria: US$687k
- Uruguay: US$635k
- Italy: US$617k
- India: US$578k
- Belgium: US$463k
- Finland: US$462k
- El Salvador: US$418k
- Sri Lanka: US$415k
- Costa Rica: US$404k
- Chile: US$395k
- Guatemala: US$323k
- Indonesia: US$321k
- Portugal: US$319k
- Bangladesh: US$300k
- Venezuela: US$264k
- New Zealand: US$261k
- Lebanon: US$238k
- Romania: US$237k
- Ethiopia: US$213k
- Peru: US$203k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$28kUS$28k+US$115k+US$2m+> US$59m
Imports: 60
- Belgium: US$129m
- South Korea: US$59m
- Japan: US$40m
- Lithuania: US$3m
- Norway: US$2m
- Germany: US$2m
- Singapore: US$762k
- Spain: US$702k
- Netherlands: US$545k
- Sweden: US$294k
- United Kingdom: US$233k
- Nigeria: US$160k
- Australia: US$143k
- Israel: US$135k
- Togo: US$115k
- Greece: US$108k
- Canada: US$95k
- Myanmar (Burma): US$87k
- Estonia: US$85k
- Malaysia: US$75k
- Slovakia: US$60k
- Thailand: US$57k
- India: US$55k
- United States: US$55k
- Italy: US$53k
- France: US$50k
- Latvia: US$47k
- Bulgaria: US$46k
- Switzerland: US$28k
- Poland: US$26k
- Croatia: US$23k
- Indonesia: US$22k
- China: US$21k
- Mexico: US$19k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$9k
- Cyprus: US$4k
- Ethiopia: US$4k
- Mozambique: US$3k
- Congo - Kinshasa: US$3k
- Denmark: US$3k
- Luxembourg: US$2k
- New Zealand: US$2k
- Portugal: US$2k
- Uganda: US$2k
- Cambodia: US$1k
- Kazakhstan: US$1k
- Romania: US$900
- Philippines: US$700
- South Africa: US$700
- United Arab Emirates: US$500
- Malta: US$400
- Solomon Islands: US$400
- Bermuda: US$200
- Austria: US$100
- Dominican Republic: US$100
- Morocco: US$100
- Slovenia: US$100
- Angola: US$0
- Chile: US$0
- Seychelles: US$0
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States | US$39m | 16.1% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | US$23m | 9.5% |
| 3 |  Germany | US$19m | 8% |
| 4 |  Brazil | US$12m | 4.9% |
| 5 |  Singapore | US$11m | 4.4% |
| 6 |  France | US$9m | 3.8% |
| 7 | Netherlands | US$8m | 3.5% |
| 8 |  Taiwan | US$8m | 3.2% |
| 9 |  South Korea | US$7m | 3.1% |
| 10 |  Spain | US$7m | 3% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Belgium | US$129m | 53.9% |
| 2 | South Korea | US$59m | 24.5% |
| 3 |  Japan | US$40m | 16.8% |
| 4 |  Lithuania | US$3m | 1.1% |
| 5 | Norway | US$2m | 1% |
| 6 | Germany | US$2m | 0.9% |
| 7 | Singapore | US$762k | 0.3% |
| 8 | Spain | US$702k | 0.3% |
| 9 | Netherlands | US$545k | 0.2% |
| 10 |  Sweden | US$294k | 0.1% |
Code history
Since 2022; before, these goods were classified under 7112.91, 7112.92, 7112.99.
Subheading 8549.21 is a single line in the UK Global Tariff, where the duty is duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature has one tariff line for subheading 8549.21; the duty is duty-free.
Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard Free; 174 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported these goods worth £2.1k (down 98% on the year before); China supplied 100%, followed by Hong Kong SAR China.
World trade in these goods reached US$239m in 2024, up 10.9% on 2023.
The United States was the largest exporter with 16.1% of the total, ahead of the United Kingdom.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for containing primary cells, primary batteries, electric accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from cathode-ray tubes or other activated glass, or electrical or electronic components containing cadmium, mercury, lead or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)?
Containing primary cells, primary batteries, electric accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from cathode-ray tubes or other activated glass, or electrical or electronic components containing cadmium, mercury, lead or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) fall under HS subheading 8549.21, part of heading 8549, in section XVI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on containing primary cells, primary batteries… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 8549.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on containing primary cells, primary batteries… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 8549.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most containing primary cells, primary batteries…?
The United States, with US$39m in 2024 (16.1% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?
174 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of Free applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on these goods?
The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were China (100%), Hong Kong SAR China (0%) and Netherlands (0%), out of total imports of £2.1k.