Chapter 38: Miscellaneous chemical products

Section VI — Products of the chemical or allied industries

27 headings · 277 total HS codes

Classification Notes for Chapter 38
Notes 1. This Chapter does not cover: a. Separate chemically defined elements or compounds with the exception of the following: Artificial graphite (3801); Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators, disinfectants and similar products, put up as described in 3808; Products put up as charges for fire-extinguishers or put up in fire-extinguishing grenades (3813.00.00); Certified reference materials specified in Note 2 below; Products specified in Note 3(a) or 3(c) below; b. Artificial graphite (3801); c. Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators, disinfectants and similar products, put up as described in 3808; d. Products put up as charges for fire-extinguishers or put up in fire-extinguishing grenades (3813.00.00); e. Certified reference materials specified in Note 2 below; f. Products specified in Note 3(a) or 3(c) below; g. Mixtures of chemicals with foodstuffs or other substances with nutritive value, of a kind used in the preparation of human foodstuffs (generally 2106); h. Products of 2404; i. Slag, ash and residues (including sludges, other than sewage sludge), containing metals, arsenic or their mixtures and meeting the requirements of Note 3(a) or 3(b) to Chapter 26 (2620); j. Medicaments (3003 or 3004); or k. Spent catalysts of a kind used for the extraction of base metals or for the manufacture of chemical compounds of base metals (2620), spent catalysts of a kind used principally for the recovery of precious metal (7112) or catalysts consisting of metals or metal alloys in the form of, for example, finely divided powder or woven gauze (Section XIV or Section XV). a. For the purpose of 3822, “certified reference materials” means reference materials which are accompanied by a certificate which indicates the values of the certified properties, the methods used to determine these values and the degree of certainty associated with each value and which are suitable for analytical, calibrating or referencing purposes. b. With the exception of the products of Chapter 28 or 29, for the classification of certified reference materials, 3822 shall take precedence over any other heading of this Schedule. 3. 3824 includes the following goods which are not to be classified in any other heading of this Schedule: a. Cultured crystals (other than optical elements) weighing not less than 2.5 g each, of magnesium oxide or of the halides of the alkali or alkaline-earth metals; b. Fusel oil; Dippel's oil; c. Ink removers put up in packings for retail sale; d. Stencil correctors, other correcting fluids and correction tapes (other than those of 9612), put up in packings for retail sale; and e. Ceramic firing testers, fusible (for example Seger cones). 4. Throughout this Schedule, “municipal waste” means waste of a kind collected from households, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, shops, offices, etc., road and pavement sweepings, as well as construction and demolition waste. Municipal waste generally contains a large variety of materials such as plastics, rubber, wood, paper, textiles, glass, metals, food materials, broken furniture and other damaged or discarded articles. “Municipal waste”, however, does not cover: a. Individual materials or articles segregated from the waste, for example wastes of plastics, rubber, wood, paper, textiles, glass or metals, electrical and electronic waste and scrap (including spent batteries) which fall in their appropriate headings of this Schedule; b. Industrial waste; c. Waste pharmaceuticals, as defined in Note 4(k) to Chapter 30; or d. Clinical waste, as defined in Note 6(a) below. 5. For the purposes of 3825, “sewage sludge” means sludge arising from urban effluent treatment plant and includes pre-treatment waste, scourings and unstabilised sludge. Stabilised sludge when suitable for use as fertiliser is excluded (Chapter 31). 6. For the purposes of 3825, “other wastes” applies to: "Other wastes" does not, however, cover wastes which contain mainly petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals (2710). a. Clinical waste, that is, contaminated waste arising from medical research, diagnosis, treatment or other medical, surgical, dental or veterinary procedures, which often contain pathogens and pharmaceutical substances and require special disposal procedures (for example, soiled dressings, used gloves and used syringes); b. Waste organic solvents; c. Wastes of metal pickling liquors, hydraulic fluids, brake fluids and anti-freezing fluids; and d. Other wastes from chemical or allied industries. 7. For the purposes of 3826, “biodiesel” means mono‑alkyl esters of fatty acids of a kind used as a fuel, derived from animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils whether or not used. Subheading Notes 1. 3808.5 covers only goods of 3808, containing one or more of the following substances: alachlor (ISO); aldicarb (ISO); aldrin (ISO); azinphos‑methyl (ISO); binapacryl (ISO); camphechlor (ISO) (toxaphene); captafol (ISO); carbofuran (ISO); chlordane (ISO); chlordimeform (ISO); chlorobenzilate (ISO); DDT (ISO) (clofenotane (INN)), 1,1,1‑trichloro‑2,2‑bis(p‑chlorophenyl)ethane); dieldrin (ISO, INN); 4,6‑dinitro‑o‑cresol (DNOC (ISO)) or its salts; dinoseb (ISO), its salts or its esters; endosulfan (ISO); ethylene dibromide (ISO) (1,2‑dibromoethane); ethylene dichloride (ISO) (1,2‑dichloroethane); fluoroacetamide (ISO); heptachlor (ISO); hexachlorobenzene (ISO); 1,2,3,4,5,6‑hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH (ISO)), including lindane (ISO, INN); mercury compounds; methamidophos (ISO); monocrotophos (ISO); oxirane (ethylene oxide); parathion (ISO); parathion‑methyl (ISO) (methyl‑parathion); pentachlorophenol (ISO), its salts or its esters; perfluorooctane sulphonic acid and its salts; perfluorooctane sulphonamides; perfluorooctane sulphonyl fluoride; phosphamidon (ISO); 2,4,5‑T (ISO) (2,4,5‑trichlorophenoxyacetic acid), its salts or its esters; tributyltin compounds; trichlorfon (ISO). 2. 3808.61 to 3808.69 cover only goods of 3808, containing alpha-cypermethrin (ISO), bendiocarb (ISO), bifenthrin (ISO), chlorfenapyr (ISO), cyfluthrin (ISO), deltamethrin (INN, ISO), etofenprox (INN), fenitrothion (ISO), lambda-cyhalothrin (ISO), malathion (ISO), pirimiphos-methyl (ISO) or propoxur (ISO). 3. 3824.8 covers only mixtures and preparations containing one or more of the following substances: oxirane (ethylene oxide); polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs); tris(2,3‑dibromopropyl) phosphate; aldrin (ISO); camphechlor (ISO) (toxaphene); chlordane (ISO); chlordecone (ISO); DDT (ISO) (clofenotane (INN)); 1,1,1‑trichloro‑2,2‑bis(p‑chlorophenyl)ethane); dieldrin (ISO, INN); endosulfan (ISO); endrin (ISO); heptachlor (ISO); mirex (ISO); 1,2,3,4,5,6‑hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH (ISO)), including lindane (ISO, INN); pentachlorobenzene (ISO); hexachlorobenzene (ISO); perfluorooctane sulphonic acid, its salts; perfluorooctane sulphonamides; perfluorooctane sulphonyl fluoride; tetra‑, penta‑, hexa‑, hepta‑ or octabromodiphenyl ethers; short‑chain chlorinated paraffins. Short‑chain chlorinated paraffins are mixtures of compounds, with a chlorination degree of more than 48% by weight, with the following molecular formula: CxH(2x‑y+2)Cly, where x=10 to 13 and y=1 to 13. 4. For the purposes of 3825.4, “waste organic solvents” are wastes containing mainly organic solvents, not fit for further use as presented as primary products, whether or not intended for recovery of the solvents.
HeadingDescriptionGeneral RateSub-codesFTAs
3801Artificial graphite; colloidal or semi-colloidal graphite; preparations based on graphite or other carbon in the form of pastes, blocks, plates or other semi-manufactures0%416 FTAs
3802Activated carbon; activated natural mineral products; animal black, including spent animal black0%216 FTAs
3803Tall oil, whether or not refined0%115 FTAs
3804Residual lyes from the manufacture of wood pulp, whether or not concentrated, desugared or chemically treated, including lignin sulphonates, but excluding tall oil of 3803.00.000%115 FTAs
3805Gum, wood or sulphate turpentine and other terpenic oils produced by the distillation or other treatment of coniferous woods; crude dipentene; sulphite turpentine and other crude para-cymene; pine oil containing alpha-terpineol as the main constituent0%216 FTAs
3806Rosin and resin acids, and derivatives thereof; rosin spirit and rosin oils; run gums0%416 FTAs
3807Wood tar; wood tar oils; wood creosote; wood naphtha; vegetable pitch; brewers' pitch and similar preparations based on rosin, resin acids or on vegetable pitch0%116 FTAs
3808Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators, disinfectants and similar products, put up in forms or packings for retail sale or as preparations or articles (for example, sulphur-treated bands, wicks and candles, and fly-papers)0%4417 FTAs
3809Finishing agents, dye carriers to accelerate the dyeing or fixing of dyestuffs and other products and preparations (for example, dressings and mordants), of a kind used in the textile, paper, leather or like industries, not elsewhere specified or included0%515 FTAs
3810Pickling preparations for metal surfaces; fluxes and other auxiliary preparations for soldering, brazing or welding; soldering, brazing or welding powders and pastes consisting of metal and other materials; preparations of a kind used as cores or coatings for welding electrodes or rods0%213 FTAs
3811Anti-knock preparations, oxidation inhibitors, gum inhibitors, viscosity improvers, anti-corrosive preparations and other prepared additives, for mineral oils (including gasoline) or for other liquids used for the same purposes as mineral oils0%917 FTAs
3812Prepared rubber accelerators; compound plasticisers for rubber or plastics, not elsewhere specified or included; anti-oxidising preparations and other compound stabilisers for rubber or plastics0%517 FTAs
3813Preparations and charges for fire-extinguishers; charged fire-extinguishing grenades0%616 FTAs
3814Organic composite solvents and thinners, not elsewhere specified or included; prepared paint or varnish removers0%516 FTAs
3815Reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, not elsewhere specified or included5%514 FTAs
3816Refractory cements, mortars, concretes and similar compositions, including dolomite ramming mix, other than products of heading 38.010%215 FTAs
3817Mixed alkylbenzenes and mixed alkylnaphthalenes, other than those of heading 27.07 or 29.025%215 FTAs
3818Chemical elements doped for use in electronics, in the form of discs, wafers or similar forms; chemical compounds doped for use in electronics0%116 FTAs
3819Hydraulic brake fluids and other prepared liquids for hydraulic transmission, not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals5%114 FTAs
3820Anti-freezing preparations and prepared de-icing fluids5%113 FTAs
3821Prepared culture media for the development or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, human or animal cells5%215 FTAs
3822Diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing, prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a backing, whether or not put up in the form of kits, other than those of heading 30.06; certified reference materials0%2017 FTAs
3823Industrial monocarboxylic fatty acids; acid oils from refining; industrial fatty alcohols5%617 FTAs
3824Prepared binders for foundry moulds or cores; chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries (including those consisting of mixtures of natural products), not elsewhere specified or included0%4817 FTAs
3825Residual products of the chemical or allied industries, not elsewhere specified or included; municipal waste; sewage sludge; other wastes specified in note 6 to this chapter5%1715 FTAs
3826Biodiesel and mixtures thereof, not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals0%511 FTAs
3827Mixtures containing halogenated derivatives of methane, ethane or propane, not elsewhere specified or included0%572 FTAs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the import duty on miscellaneous chemical products in Australia?

Chapter 38 of the Australian Tariff covers miscellaneous chemical products. Duty rates vary by product — there are 27 headings in this chapter. Use the table below to find specific rates, or try our free calculator for an instant estimate.

Are there FTA concessions for Chapter 38 goods?

Yes, Australia has 17 Free Trade Agreements that may reduce duty on Chapter 38 products. Click on any heading below to see which FTAs offer preferential rates.

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