U.S. imports of Acetone (SITC 51623) totaled $10.8M in August 2026, imported from 18 countries.
Importers of Acetone paid $1.5M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 13.81% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Acetone imports of $10.8M in August 2026 ran 263% above the year-to-date monthly average of $3.0M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataAcetone is the simplest and most commercially significant ketone, serving as a primary solvent in coatings, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and electronics cleaning, and as a feedstock for methyl methacrylate (MMA) and bisphenol A (BPA) production. Its trade flows are closely tied to the cumene-to-phenol process, where acetone is a co-product, meaning supply availability is partly a function of phenol demand rather than acetone demand alone. Acetone is listed as a VOC-exempt solvent by the EPA, a regulatory distinction that supports its use in low-VOC coating formulations and differentiates it from many competing solvents.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
35 import shipments a month
The EPA excludes acetone from its definition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for regulatory purposes, meaning coatings and cleaning products formulated with acetone can meet low-VOC or VOC-exempt product standards without substituting to less-effective solvents. This exemption makes acetone a preferred solvent in states with strict air-quality regulations, supporting consistent import demand from the coatings and consumer products sectors.
Acetone is produced in a roughly fixed molar ratio alongside phenol via the cumene process, so its supply is structurally linked to phenol output rather than to standalone acetone demand. When phenol demand is weak, producers may curtail cumene cracking, tightening acetone supply even if acetone markets are healthy. Importers should monitor phenol market conditions and cumene feedstock economics as leading indicators of acetone availability and spot pricing.
Basic heading 250 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 51623 · $10.8M of $27.5B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Saudi Arabia and Taiwan together supply 79% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$10.8MYoY · free account
Exports
$4.7MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $39.0M of Acetone and exported $82.8M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.