3917 - Tubes, pipes and hoses and fittings therefor (for example, joints, elbows, flanges), of plastics:
Sub-classifications
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3917 1010 00
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3917 4000
Overview
This HTS category, 3917, encompasses a broad range of tubes, pipes, and hoses manufactured from plastics, along with their associated fittings such as joints, elbows, and flanges. The defining characteristic for classification under this heading is the primary material of construction, which must be plastic. This category is distinct from other Chapters within Section VII (Plastics and Articles Thereof) and other Sections of the HTSUS. For instance, it excludes metal tubing (Chapter 72-83) or rubber hoses (Chapter 40), even if they may serve a similar function.
Within Chapter 39, this heading specifically focuses on the conduit and connecting components made from plastics, differentiating it from bulk plastic materials (3901-3914) or finished plastic articles not in the form of tubes, pipes, or hoses (e.g., films, sheets, or molded articles like containers, 3923-3926). The classification hinges on the form and function of the plastic article as a conduit for fluids or gases, or as a component facilitating their flow.
The subcategories under 3917 further refine classification based on specific types and applications. Subheading 3917.10, for example, addresses artificial guts and sausage casings made from specific plastic materials. Other subheadings distinguish between rigid and non-rigid tubes, pipes, and hoses, and a dedicated subheading, 3917.40, covers all fittings that are designed to connect, terminate, or modify the flow within these plastic conduits.