Heading 7404

Copper waste and scrap

10 declarable lines

Heading 7404 covers copper waste and scrap and spent anodes, meaning copper that is being traded for remelting or refining rather than for direct use as a finished product. The heading splits first by copper content: lines under 7404.00.30 cover spent anodes and scrap with a copper content of less than 94% by weight, while 7404.00.60 covers all other waste and scrap. Each group then splits into refined copper, brass, bronze, and other copper alloys, with an extra break for brass containing more than 0.3% lead.

Products in this heading

Copper wire scrap and chopped cable scrap with the insulation stripped
Copper bus bar and electrical conductor scrap
Spent copper anodes removed from an electrolytic plating or refining bath
Brass turnings, borings and rod ends from a machine shop
Bronze bearing and bushing scrap
Copper pipe and tube offcuts from installation work
Copper radiator and heat exchanger scrap
Mixed copper alloy scrap sold for remelting

How to choose the right subheading

Check the copper content by weight: spent anodes and scrap below 94% copper fall in the 7404.00.30 group, everything else in 7404.00.60.
Decide whether the material is refined copper or a copper alloy, since that is the first split inside each group.
For copper alloys, identify the alloy base: copper-zinc (brass), copper-tin (bronze), or other.
For brass, test the lead content: more than 0.3% lead takes a different line than other brass.
Confirm the goods are actually waste and scrap or spent anodes, not a remelted unwrought shape or a finished article.

Often confused with

Copper anodes for electrolytic refining
These are cast anodes made to a specification for refining, not scrap or spent anodes.
Heading 7402
Unwrought refined copper ingots and cathodes
Primary or remelted metal cast into a saleable unwrought shape is classified as refined copper, not waste and scrap.
Heading 7403
Copper powder and flakes
Powder is a separate product even when made from scrap metal.
Heading 7406
Copper bars, rods and profiles
Scrap that has been remelted and cast into a usable solid shape becomes a wrought product.
Heading 7407
Insulated copper cable and wire assemblies
Insulated conductors are classified as electrical cable, not as copper scrap, unless the metal is being recovered.
Heading 8544

Frequently asked questions

What is the HTS code for copper scrap?

Scrap of refined copper that is not a spent anode or a low-content material is classified under 7404.00.60.20, which carries a general (MFN) rate of Free. Mixed alloy scrap of other alloy types falls under 7404.00.60.90, also general (MFN) Free.

What is the duty on brass scrap?

Brass scrap containing more than 0.3% lead is classified under 7404.00.60.45 and other brass scrap under 7404.00.60.55, both at a general (MFN) rate of Free. The same split exists in the low-copper group at 7404.00.30.45 and 7404.00.30.55, also Free.

How do I classify spent copper anodes?

Spent anodes with a copper content of less than 94% by weight go in the 7404.00.30 group, with refined copper content classified under 7404.00.30.20 at a general (MFN) rate of Free. If the anode material is a copper alloy, use the alloy lines such as 7404.00.30.65 for bronze, also Free.

Guide written from the official schedule text. Rates quoted are general (MFN) rates; check the line page for trade agreement rates and the classification of your exact product.