U.S. imports of Glycerol (HS 290545) totaled $15.8M in August 2026, imported from 27 countries.
Importers of Glycerol paid $1.8M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 12.24% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataGlycerol (also traded as glycerin) is a trihydric alcohol recovered primarily as a co-product of biodiesel and fatty-acid manufacturing, making Indonesia and Malaysia — the world's dominant palm-oil processors — the leading US suppliers. The single US tariff line 2905450000 covers both crude and refined grades, so purity specifications (USP, technical, or crude) must be documented in commercial invoices to support correct valuation and end-use claims. Buyers in personal care, pharmaceutical, and food-ingredient supply chains should note that glycerol from oleochemical origins may carry different sustainability certifications than synthetic glycerol derived from propylene.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
220 import shipments a month
No — crude, refined, and USP-grade glycerol all classify under 2905450000. However, purity and intended end-use must be clearly stated on commercial documents because they affect FDA admissibility review for food- or pharmaceutical-grade material and may influence valuation.
Both countries are the world's largest palm-oil producers; glycerol is an unavoidable co-product of palm-oil refining and biodiesel production. Their scale and integrated oleochemical infrastructure give them a structural cost advantage over synthetic glycerol producers elsewhere.
Subheading 3 of 20 in heading 2905
Subheading 290545 · $15.8M of $149.6M
ImportsExports
Imports
$15.8MYoY · free account
Exports
$6.2MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $193.4M of Glycerol and exported $68.0M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Indonesia and Malaysia together supply 72% of it. Brazil pays 37.9% duty; India 9.7%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
0.3% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 12.24% of imports for consumption.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2905450000 | Glycerol | $15.1M | 12.24% | 99.67% | $1.8M |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2905450000 | Glycerol | $6.2M |
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.
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