8549.39.00.00 - Other

This HTS category, 8549.39.00.00, encompasses other electrical and electronic assemblies and printed circuit boards that do not fall under the specific exclusions or inclusions of its sibling category. Essentially, it serves as a residual category for a broad range of electronic waste and scrap assemblies and printed circuit boards not explicitly itemized elsewhere within this subheading. The classification hinges on the absence of the hazardous or specific components detailed in the sibling category, meaning these items are deemed free of primary cells, batteries, electric accumulators, mercury switches, cathode-ray tube glass, activated glass, or electrical/electronic components containing cadmium, mercury, lead, or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

The distinction from the sibling category, 8549.31.00.00, is crucial for accurate classification. While both deal with electrical and electronic assemblies and printed circuit boards, the sibling category specifically targets those containing certain hazardous materials or components. Therefore, items classified under 8549.39.00.00 are those assemblies and boards that, upon examination, are found to *lack* these particular problematic substances or components. This difference in composition dictates the distinct classification and, consequently, potentially different treatment for customs purposes.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subdivisions within 8549.39.00.00. The classification is final at this level, and importers must ensure that any items claimed under this heading are definitively free of the materials specified in the preceding sibling category. Practical classification will often involve careful inspection and potentially material analysis to confirm the absence of prohibited or specifically designated components.