Charcoal vs. Activated Carbon

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Industry Encyclopedia

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Time of issue：

2025-12-26 17:31

Charcoal exports are prohibited. Mechanism charcoal Can it be exported normally?

01 Scope of Prohibited Charcoal Exports

Recently, during an inspection of a shipment declared as “activated carbon,” the Tianjin Free Trade Zone Customs discovered that the actual goods did not meet the characteristics of activated carbon. After sampling and laboratory testing, it was confirmed that the goods were actually charcoal, totaling 21.56 tons.

According to the Announcement No. 40 of 2004 issued by the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Forestry Administration of the People’s Republic of China, Charcoal has been listed in the... List of Prohibited Export Goods 》 (The second batch), The raw material must be wood that is not bamboo. Charcoal made directly by burning materials other than wood—such as shell charcoal, pit charcoal, and mechanically processed charcoal—is prohibited from being exported.

02 Is activated carbon a dangerous good?

Is activated carbon classified as a dangerous good? Can it be transported using ordinary cargo vehicles?

According to the “List of Hazardous Goods Names” (GB12268) and the “Regulations for Road Transportation of Hazardous Goods” (JT/T617), activated carbon has a United Nations number of 1362 and is classified as a Class 4, Division 2 substance that is readily self-igniting, requiring transportation in vehicles designated for hazardous goods. However, carbon obtained through steam activation or carbon that does not meet the classification standards for hazardous goods is exempt from this restriction.

Hazardous properties Due to its high adsorption capacity and porous structure, activated carbon may adsorb oxygen or come into contact with oxidizers, potentially triggering spontaneous combustion, fire, or explosion—especially if it has not been adequately cooled or is improperly stored. Before transportation, it is essential to assess the cargo’s transportation conditions and determine its level of hazard.

Waste activated carbon treatment ： If used activated carbon has adsorbed harmful substances (such as VOCs), it is classified as hazardous waste (HW49) and must be disposed of by a qualified entity. Transportation must comply with the hazardous waste joint manifest system.

03 Import and Export Case Alerts

Case 1:

Upon inspection, it was found that among the exported goods of a certain enterprise there are... Activated carbon Unreported Upon investigation, the company involved was providing services to its client. Agency export During the process, due to Concern that activated carbon might be classified as a hazardous material. The shipping company was not allowed to load the shipment, and it concealed the fact that the cargo contained activated carbon, resulting in a discrepancy between the actual loaded goods and the declared contents. The regulatory requirements for activated carbon are dual-use items and technology export licenses (targeted). The goods under this customs declaration are destined for Kenya, and no dual-use items and technology export license is required. The party’s failure to make a truthful declaration has disrupted the customs regulatory order.

There is also a special type of export license for dual-use items and technologies— Targeted Export License Its regulatory document code is “G”.

A dual-use items and technology targeted export license is issued to exporters for exports to specific countries (regions). 17 Types of Precursor Chemicals for Drug Production For regulatory documents that need to be applied for, customs will verify and release the goods based on the “Export License for Dual-Use Items and Technologies (Targeted).”

Specific countries (regions): Myanmar, Laos, Afghanistan

Case Two:

The party concerned has entrusted *** Supply Chain Co., Ltd. to file the declaration under the general trade mode. Import Charcoal 48,775 kilograms; declared specifications: 0|3|Material: Wood carbonization product | Non-activated | Carbon content: Over 65% | Volatile matter: Less than 30%; declaring trader
Product code: 4402900010, declared total price: USD 3,026.5.

Upon inspection and verification, it was determined that 48,750 kilograms of the actual goods were by-products or scrap materials from the charcoal production process. Classified as “Other Solid Wastes Not Specifically Listed,” Solid waste prohibited from import by the state.

The party involved, acting as the domestic consignee and end-user, declared to customs for import under general trade terms a batch of charcoal, with commodity code 4402900010 and specification/model “0|3|Hard Mixed Wood—Non-activated—75%—20%.” The declared quantity was 190,540 kilograms, the declared total price was USD 34,297.2 on a C&F basis, and the declared insurance premium rate was 0.3%. Customs conducted an inspection and took samples of the goods under this declaration for testing. Upon identification, it was determined that this batch of goods constitutes solid waste.

Friendly reminder:

Charcoal can be imported, but be careful—charcoal byproducts and offcuts are classified as solid waste.

Case Three:

A certain enterprise declared export goods to customs, involving the commodity “ Activated carbon ”, its Incorrect product number declaration The declaration was mistakenly filed as “38021090” instead of “38021010.” On April 17, 2023, the party concerned submitted a request to our department for amendment of the declaration. After the revision and withdrawal staff contacted the customs brokerage firm to verify the relevant details, the amendment was successfully processed. During the revision and withdrawal process, the staff discovered that this inaccurate declaration had affected customs statistics and involved a cargo value of 501,840 yuan, thereby violating the provisions of Article 15, Paragraph (1) of the "Regulations on the Implementation of Administrative Penalties by the Customs of the People's Republic of China."

The exported goods are Activated carbon should be classified under commodity code 3802109000, corresponding to... Export tax rebate rate 0.

END

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