It is easier to correctly classify plastics and downstream or finished plastic products if you understand the basic chemistry of plastics and how the products are manufactured.If you import polymers in primary forms, it is essential that you know the chemical composition and which is the predominant monomer within the polymer.
For transformed or finished articles, it is very useful to know the details of the composition of the polymer used and the manufacturing process.
Remember that if the defining characteristic of the product is that it is made of plastic, as for example in the case of a plastic bottle or plastic tube, it should be classified in tariff chapter 39. However, if the article is included in another chapter, as in the case of plastic toys, it should be classified in the appropriate heading.
This guide contains an overview of basic polymer chemistry, a brief summary of manufacturing processes and practical tips for classifying specific transformed or finished products.
Classification of polymers into primary forms
The definition of "primary forms" is:
Liquids and pastes, including dispersions (emulsions and suspensions) and solutions; irregular blocks, chunks, lumps, powders (including molding powder), granules, flakes, and similar non-coherent masses.
Polymers are large molecules composed of monomers, and their components are called monomer units.
A monomer is a molecule or compound that generally contains carbon and can be converted into polymers, synthetic resins or elastomers in combination with itself or with other similar molecules or compounds.
There are many different polymers with different characteristics and properties, which are used for various purposes.
For example, the construction industry commonly uses polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for fire-retardant double glazing.
Polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are commonly used to make bottles.
To correctly classify your polymers into primary forms, you must identify the main monomers:
Polymers of ethylene (heading 3901).
Polymers of propylene (heading 3902)
Polymers of styrene (heading 3903)
Polymers of vinyl chloride or of other halogenated olefins (heading 3904)
Polymers of vinyl acetate or of other vinyl esters and other vinyl polymers (heading 3905)
Acrylic polymers (heading 3906)
Polyacetals, other polyethers and epoxide resins, polycarbonates, alkyd resins, allyl polyesters and other polyesters (heading 3907)
Polyamides (heading 3908)
Aminic resins, phenolic resins and polyurethanes (heading 3909)
Silicones (heading 3910)
Petroleum resins, coumarainene resins, polyterpenes, polysulphides, polysulfides, polysulfones (heading 3911)
Copolymers are produced by simultaneous polymerization of two or more different monomers. They contain more than one type or repeat of monomer units.
For example, the copolymer poly(ethylene-co-vinyl chloride) is created by polymerizing ethylene and vinyl chloride.
In the tariff classification, the term "copolymer" covers all polymers in which no single monomer accounts for 95 % or more by weight of the total polymer content.
Whatever the mode of production, copolymers (including copolycondensates, copolyaddition products, block copolymers and graft copolymers) are classified in the heading comprising the predominant comonomer. If no comonomer predominates, the products are to be classified in the last heading in the order of numbering that is relevant for each comonomer.
Chemically modified polymers, in which only the appendages of the main polymer chain have been modified by chemical reaction, are classified in the heading of the polymer which is not modified.
Source: http://trade.ec.europa.eu