U.S. imports of Air-Zinc Primary Cells and Batteries (HS 850660) totaled $2.0M in August 2026, imported from 9 countries.
Importers of Air-Zinc Primary Cells and Batteries paid $86K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 4.31% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Air-Zinc Primary Cells and Batteries imports of $2.0M in August 2026 ran 12% above the year-to-date monthly average of $1.8M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataAir-zinc (zinc-air) primary batteries generate power by oxidizing zinc with ambient oxygen, producing a high energy-to-weight ratio that makes them the dominant chemistry for hearing-aid batteries worldwide. The US schedule separates button/coin cell formats (8506600010) from other configurations (8506600090). Germany leads US imports under this heading — a reflection of the strong European hearing-healthcare manufacturing base — with the United Kingdom and China also supplying meaningful volumes. Importers should be aware that button-cell products are subject to Reese's Law child-resistant packaging and labeling requirements.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
77 import shipments a month
Germany hosts major hearing-healthcare device manufacturers and their battery supply chains, including production facilities for leading global brands. Because zinc-air chemistry is almost exclusively used in hearing aids at the consumer level, the supplier geography closely tracks the location of hearing-instrument manufacturing rather than general battery production.
The distinction is electrochemical: air-zinc cells use atmospheric oxygen as the cathode reactant and are classified under heading 8506.60, while silver oxide cells use a silver oxide cathode and fall under 8506.40. Both may appear in similar button/coin form factors, so the chemistry — not the physical shape — controls the correct heading.
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8506600010 | Primary Batteries, Air-Zinc, Button and Coin Cell | $1.8M | 4.78% | 26.59% | $86K |
| 8506600090 | Primary Batteries, Air-Zinc, NESOI | $196K | 0.00% | 0.00% | -- |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8506600000 | Primary Batteries, Air-Zinc | $269K |
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 5 of 7 in heading 8506
Subheading 850660 · $2.0M of $95.4M
ImportsExports
Imports
$2.0MYoY · free account
Exports
$269KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $23.9M of Air-Zinc Primary Cells and Batteries and exported $6.9M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Germany and United Kingdom together supply 86% of it. China pays 19.5% duty; United Kingdom 0.0%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
54.4% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 4.31% of imports for consumption.