Standard International Trade Classification
U.S. imports of Ion-Exchange Resins Based on Plastics in Primary Forms (SITC 57597) totaled $31.2M in August 2026, imported from 35 countries.
Importers of Ion-Exchange Resins Based on Plastics in Primary Forms paid $4.0M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 12.98% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Ion-Exchange Resins Based on Plastics in Primary Forms imports of $31.2M in August 2026 ran 13% above the year-to-date monthly average of $27.7M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataPlastic-based ion-exchange resins — principally sulfonated polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymers in cation form and quaternary ammonium functionalized resins in anion form — are critical consumables in water treatment, pharmaceutical purification, food processing (sugar decolorization, high-fructose corn syrup production), and semiconductor ultrapure water systems. The functional group chemistry (strong acid, weak acid, strong base, weak base), bead size distribution, and crosslink density are the primary commercial specifications that determine suitability for a given application. Resin capacity and selectivity for specific ions (e.g., lithium, nitrate, heavy metals) are increasingly important as battery materials processing and environmental remediation drive new demand. Section 301 tariff exposure may apply to Chinese-origin resins, which represent a significant share of global production capacity.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
672 import shipments a month
Invoices should identify the polymer matrix (e.g., polystyrene-DVB, polyacrylic), the functional group type (strong or weak acid cation; strong or weak base anion), the physical form (gel versus macroporous bead), and the ionic form as shipped (H+, Na+, Cl-, OH-). These details distinguish ion-exchange resins from other plastic-based adsorbents and support correct HTS classification, which can affect applicable duty rates.
Pharmaceutical-grade ion-exchange resins used as drug excipients or in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) purification may be subject to FDA review if they are components of a drug product or manufacturing process. Importers should confirm whether the resin meets USP or EP monograph specifications and whether the supplier's facility is FDA-registered, as these factors affect admissibility and GMP compliance documentation requirements.
Basic heading 130 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 57597 · $31.2M of $27.5B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
China pays 38.7% duty; Sweden 5.1%.
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
$31.2MYoY · free account
Exports
$23.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $327.4M of Ion-Exchange Resins Based on Plastics in Primary Forms and exported $273.5M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.