U.S. imports of Aluminum Hydroxide (HS 281830) totaled $37.1M in August 2026, imported from 21 countries.
Importers of Aluminum Hydroxide paid $882K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 2.38% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Aluminum Hydroxide imports of $37.1M in August 2026 ran 46% above the year-to-date monthly average of $25.5M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataAluminum hydroxide — also called ATH (alumite trihydrate) in industrial trade — functions as both a flame retardant filler in plastics and rubber and as the primary precursor to alumina in the Bayer refining process. Brazil and Germany are the leading US suppliers under tariff line 2818300000, with Jamaica and Canada also significant sources. The product's dual role as a chemical intermediate and a functional additive means buyers must specify purity grade and particle-size distribution carefully, as these parameters drive classification and pricing. Canada's participation in USMCA can affect duty treatment for shipments originating there.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
316 import shipments a month
Aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)₃) retains chemically bound water molecules and classifies under HTS 2818.30, while aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) is the anhydrous or calcined form under 2818.20. The distinction matters because processing conditions — particularly calcination temperature — determine which form is present, and misclassification between the two headings is a common audit finding.
The largest demand segments are flame-retardant compounding (plastics, wire and cable insulation, rubber), paper coating and filling, and water treatment chemicals. Pharmaceutical-grade aluminum hydroxide used as an antacid active ingredient is a smaller but distinct market segment with separate quality specifications.
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HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2818300000 | Aluminum Hydroxide | $37.1M | 2.38% | 15.78% | $882K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2818300000 | Aluminum Hydroxide | $14.6M |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Subheading 1 of 3 in heading 2818
Subheading 281830 · $37.1M of $81.9M
ImportsExports
Imports
$37.1MYoY · free account
Exports
$14.6MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $302.4M of Aluminum Hydroxide and exported $206.7M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Brazil and Germany together supply 60% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
84.2% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 2.38% of imports for consumption.