HEADING 39.01 - POLYMERS OF ETHYLENE IN PRIMARY FORMS.

42 COMMODITIES

3901.10 - Polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94

3901.20 - Polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more

3901.30 - Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers

3901.90 - Other

This heading covers polyethylene and chemically modified polyethylene (for example chlorinated polyethylene and chlorosulphonated polyethylene). It also covers ethylene copolymers (for example ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers and ethylene-propylene copolymers) in which ethylene is the predominant comonomer unit. For the classification of polymers (including copolymers) chemically modified polymers and polymer blends see the General Explanatory Note to this Chapter.

Polyethylene is a translucent material having a very wide range of applications. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) i.e. polyethylene having a specific gravity at 20 øC of less than 0.94 (calculated on an additive-free polymer basis) is used largely as a packaging film especially for food products as coating for paper fibreboard aluminium foil etc. as an electric insulator and for the manufacture of various household articles toys etc. The heading also includes linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is polyethylene having a specific gravity at 20 øC of 0.94 or more (calculated on an additive-free polymer basis). It is used in the manufacture of a variety of blow-moulded and injection-moulded articles woven sacks gasoline and oil containers for the extrusion of pipes etc. Applications of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers include snap-on caps the lining of bag-in-box containers and stretch wrapping.

The heading excludes :

(a)Liquid synthetic polyethylene not meeting the requirements of Note 3 (a) to the Chapter (heading 27.10).

(b)Polyethylene waxes (heading 34.04).