HTS heading 7602 · Chapter 76, Aluminium and articles of aluminium
US imports of Aluminum waste and scrap
Aluminum waste and scrap
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
US imports under HTS 7602 at a glance
Between March and July 2026, US importers entered $1.89 billion of aluminum waste and scrap under HTS heading 7602, from 34 of the 55 origin countries covered here and across 5 ten-digit tariff lines — roughly $378 million a month of customs value under a single four-digit heading.
The heading belongs to chapter 76, aluminium and articles of aluminium. Classification disputes in this range usually turn on the six-digit subheading, which is where the rates start to diverge.
Top origin countries by share of HTS 7602
Origin countries: value, share and duty paid
| Origin | Import value | Share | Dutiable share | Effective duty | Duty per $100 | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $1.29 billion | 68.2% | 0.3% | 10.76% | $0.04 | |
| Mexico | $401 million | 21.3% | 0.3% | 9.95% | $0.03 | |
| South Korea | $45.0 million | 2.4% | 91.9% | 10% | $9.19 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Colombia | $22.8 million | 1.2% | 92.3% | 10% | $9.23 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| United Kingdom | $18.6 million | 1% | 92.7% | 10% | $9.27 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Australia | $13.7 million | 0.7% | 81.6% | 9.26% | $7.56 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Saudi Arabia | $13.0 million | 0.7% | 81.9% | 10.06% | $8.23 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| United Arab Emirates | $12.5 million | 0.7% | 96.8% | 10% | $9.67 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Hungary | $9.9 million | 0.5% | 100% | 10.42% | $10.42 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Turkey | $9.5 million | 0.5% | 92.4% | 10% | $9.24 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Thailand | $9.5 million | 0.5% | 67.9% | 10% | $6.79 | Duty on 7602.00.00 Thailand lane |
| Honduras | $8.4 million | 0.5% | 41.3% | 10% | $4.13 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Pakistan | $6.2 million | 0.3% | 92.2% | 10% | $9.22 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Guatemala | $3.2 million | 0.2% | 93.5% | 10% | $9.35 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
| Peru | $3.1 million | 0.2% | 90.8% | 10% | $9.08 | Duty on 7602.00.00 |
Who exports aluminum waste and scrap to the United States
Canada supplies 68.2% of everything entered under this heading — $1.29 billion over the five months — which makes this a single-source market in practice. Mexico is a distant second at 21.3%, then South Korea at 2.4%. When one origin carries this much of a heading, a tariff action aimed at that country moves the landed cost of the whole category rather than shifting share between suppliers.
Canada and Mexico sit near the top of the table, and the duty numbers reflect it: Canada entered 99.7% of its value free of duty and Mexico entered 99.7% of its value free of duty. Cargo that qualifies under USMCA and is claimed correctly at entry pays nothing; cargo that does not qualify, or that is never claimed, pays the ordinary rate. The certification is the whole difference.
What importers actually paid in duty
Most of this heading enters duty-free. Only 9.4% of the entered value was dutiable, and across all origins CBP collected $17.8 million — about $0.94 of duty per $100 of goods. The headline rate on the dutiable portion was 10%, but it applies to a small slice, so the number that matters to a landed-cost model is the $0.94.
The spread between origins is real. Among origins with at least 2% of the heading, South Korea paid the most duty relative to value — $9.19 per $100 — while Mexico paid $0.03. On a $250,000 purchase order that gap is about $23,000 in duty alone, which is worth pricing into a sourcing decision rather than discovering on the entry summary.
10-digit tariff lines under HTS 7602
| HTS code | Description | Import value | Share | Duty per $100 | Largest origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7602.00.00.65 | Other recyclable aluminum | $694 million | 36.8% | $1.26 | Canada |
| 7602.00.00.75 | Other | $481 million | 25.5% | $0.63 | Canada |
| 7602.00.00.55 | Recyclable aluminum from industrial processes, including turnings, borings, shavings, filings, clippings and chips | $472 million | 25% | $1.00 | Canada |
| 7602.00.00.35 | Recyclable used beverage containers | $227 million | 12.1% | $0.58 | Canada |
| 7602.00.00.45 | Recyclable aluminum auto and truck wheels | $14.1 million | 0.7% | $0.00 | Canada |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
The 10-digit lines under heading 7602
5 ten-digit lines carried trade under this heading in the period. The largest, 7602.00.00.65 (other recyclable aluminum), took 36.8% of the heading at $694 million. 7602.00.00.75, 7602.00.00.55 and 7602.00.00.35 follow. Rates diverge between those lines, so the classification your broker files is worth checking against the goods rather than carried over from the last entry.
What the duty stack looks like
The rate on an entry is not one number. It is a stack: the general (column 1) rate for the 10-digit line, less any trade-agreement preference the goods qualify for, plus whatever additional duties apply to that product and origin, all applied to the customs value declared. The $0.94 per $100 above is what that stack averaged across every entry in this heading — a benchmark, not a quote.
For the origins carrying the most volume, the per-country breakdowns go a level deeper: South Korea (7602.00.00), Colombia (7602.00.00) and United Kingdom (7602.00.00). To price a specific shipment, put your 10-digit code and country of origin into the tariff simulator.
What this means for your next shipment
The numbers above are a starting point, not the answer for a specific shipment: the rate depends on the exact 10-digit line, the origin, and any trade-agreement claim you can substantiate. Airlift USA arranges the ocean and air movement and coordinates classification and entry filing through our licensed broker network.
For the operational side rather than the tariff side, see the Metals & Fabricated Industrial Goods guide for how this cargo moves and the heading index to compare against the rest of chapter 76.
Price a shipment under HTS 7602
Airlift USA has moved ocean and air freight into the United States since 1999 and coordinates HTS classification, ISF and entry filing through our licensed broker network.
Methodology
Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's international trade statistics for imports for consumption — the customs value of goods entered into US commerce, not shipments in transit or goods held in bonded warehouses. The period is March–July 2026 (5 months of data), and coverage is limited to 55 major origin countries, so totals here are lower than published US-wide totals for the same heading.
Three quantities are additive and everything else is derived from them: entered customs value, dutiable value and calculated duty. Effective duty is calculated duty divided by dutiable value — the rate CBP actually applied to the part of the trade that was dutiable. Dutiable share is dutiable value divided by entered value; below 20% it means the trade entered mostly free, under a trade agreement or a duty-free provision. Duty per $100 spreads calculated duty across all entered value, which is the figure comparable between origins.
Chapter 98 and chapter 99 are excluded: those are special classification and temporary-measure provisions rather than product headings. Heading and tariff-line descriptions are the current HTS text. Values are historical and reflect duty as calculated at the time of entry; they are not a quote and not a prediction of the rate on a future shipment.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value. Census data is a work of the US government and is in the public domain.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries export the most aluminum waste and scrap to the United States?
Canada is the largest origin under HTS heading 7602, with $1.29 billion entered between March and July 2026, or 68.2% of the heading. Mexico follows at 21.3% and South Korea at 2.4%. Figures cover the 55 major origin countries in this dataset. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
How much import duty is paid on aluminum waste and scrap under HTS 7602?
Across all origins, 9.4% of the entered value was dutiable and CBP calculated $17.8 million of duty over the five months — an effective 10% on dutiable value, or about $0.94 per $100 of goods across the whole heading. Your own rate depends on the exact 10-digit line and country of origin.
Which HTS codes fall under heading 7602?
Heading 7602 covers aluminum waste and scrap. 5 ten-digit lines recorded imports in this period; the largest by value were 7602.00.00.65, 7602.00.00.75, 7602.00.00.55 and 7602.00.00.35. Duty rates differ between those lines, so the 10-digit classification matters more than the heading.
Which origin pays the lowest duty on aluminum waste and scrap?
Among origins with at least 2% of the heading, Mexico paid the least duty relative to entered value — about $0.03 per $100 of goods, with 99.7% of its value entering free. Duty is only one part of landed cost, and a claim has to be substantiated at entry to be allowed.
How do I check the duty on my own shipment?
Use the Airlift USA tariff simulator with your 10-digit HTS code and country of origin to see the duty stack that applies today, then confirm the classification before you file. Airlift USA coordinates classification and entry filing through our licensed broker network and can review the code against your product specification.