7602.00.00 - Aluminum waste and scrap

This HTS category, 7602.00.00, encompasses aluminum waste and scrap. This broadly includes discarded aluminum materials, regardless of their form, that are intended for reprocessing or recycling. Such items can originate from various sources, including manufacturing processes, end-of-life products, and demolition activities. The key characteristic is that the material is no longer functional in its current state and is destined for remelting or other reclamation processes to be reborn as new aluminum products.

Given that this category resides within Section XV, which deals with base metals, it is important to distinguish it from other scrap materials not composed of aluminum. While sibling categories might cover waste and scrap of other base metals like iron, steel, copper, or lead, 7602.00.00 is exclusively for aluminum. The classification hinges entirely on the principal metal content and its form as scrap or waste.

The subdivisions within 7602.00.00 serve to differentiate types of recyclable aluminum based on their origin and specific form. These subcategories allow for more granular tracking and potentially different tariff treatments or reporting requirements. For instance, distinctions are made for used beverage containers, which often have high recycling rates and specific recovery streams, and aluminum derived from industrial processes, which may include distinct forms like turnings and shavings. The "Other recyclable aluminum" and "Other" categories provide catch-all provisions for materials not specifically itemized.