CLA-2-34:OT:RR:NC:2:236

Mr. Wen C. Zhang
Zhong Ya Chemical (USA) Ltd.
147 W. Ethel Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854

RE: The tariff classification of detergent powder from China

Dear Mr. Zhang:

In your ruling request dated April 23, 2012, you requested a tariff classification ruling.

You describe the product as a detergent powder, blended from 13.98% sodium sulfate, 3.23% sodium metasilicate, 10.75% sodium citrate anhydrous, 21.51% citric acid anhydrous, 12.90% sodium percarbonate, and 37.63% sodium carbonate light. There is no indication whether the detergent powder will be imported put up for retail sale or bulk form.

The applicable subheading for the detergent powder preparation, if put up for retail sale as imported, will be 3402.20.1100, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, (HTSUS), which provides for Organic surface-active agents (other than soap); surface-active preparations, washing preparations (including auxiliary washing preparations) and cleaning preparations, whether or not containing soap, other than those of heading 3401: Preparations put up for retail sale: Containing any aromatic or modified aromatic surface-active agent. The general rate of duty will be 4 percent ad valorem.

The applicable subheading for the detergent powder preparation, if imported in bulk form, will be 3402.90.1000, HTSUS, which provides for Organic surface-active agents (other than soap); surface-active preparations, washing preparations (including auxiliary washing preparations) and cleaning preparations, whether or not containing soap, other than those of heading 3401: Synthetic detergents. The general rate of duty will be 3.8 percent ad valorem. You have asked whether this product is subject to antidumping duties or countervailing duties (AD/CVD). Written decisions regarding the scope of AD/CVD orders are issued by the Import Administration in the Department of Commerce and are separate from tariff classification and origin rulings issued by Customs and Border Protection. You can contact them at http://www.trade.gov/ia/ (click on “Contact Us”). For your information, you can view a list of current AD/CVD cases at the United States International Trade Commission website at http://www.usitc.gov (click on “Antidumping and countervailing duty investigations”), and you can search AD/CVD deposit and liquidation messages using the AD/CVD Search tool at http://addcvd.cbp.gov/.

This merchandise may be subject to the requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which are administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Information on the TSCA can be obtained by contacting the EPA at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mail Code 70480, Washington, D.C., by telephone at (202) 554-1404, or by visiting their website at www.epa.gov.

Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Nuccio Fera at (646) 733-3034.

Sincerely,

Thomas J. Russo
Director
National Commodity Specialist Division