Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
聚氯乙烯
Polyvinyl chloride is the third-largest polymer by volume globally and the single largest commodity polymer line from China, with capacity dominated by calcium-carbide acetylene route in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia and ethylene-route capacity in coastal clusters. PVC suspension (S-PVC) is the bulk grade for pipe, profile, and film; PVC emulsion (E-PVC) and microsuspension grades serve coating and specialty applications. The 2024 US Section 301 review added select PVC and downstream codes to the list at 25 percent. Chinese supply sits in Ningbo Petrochemical, Tianjin Nangang, and the Inner Mongolia carbide complexes. This cluster aggregates CAS 9002-86-2 across the regulatory matrix and the PVC hub. The CAS 9002-86-2 is a polymer registration; the substance-level CAS page is not the same surface and is therefore not included.
Glossary
Terms you will meet on this lane
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Section 301, Section 301 Tariffs
Additional tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese-origin goods under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The current List 1, 2, 3, and 4A tariffs add 7.5 to 25 percent on top of the standard MFN duty rate, applied at HS-code level.
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AD, Anti-Dumping Duty
Additional import duty imposed by a destination country on goods sold below fair market value (dumped) by a specific exporter or country of origin. Applied at the producer level, different rates for different Chinese factories, sometimes 0 percent for cooperating producers and 100+ percent for non-cooperating ones.
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HS Code, Harmonized System Code
A six-digit international product classification code used by customs authorities worldwide to identify goods, assess duties, and apply trade controls. Countries extend the six-digit base with additional digits for tariff and statistical purposes (10-digit HTS in the US, 8-digit CN code in the EU, 10-digit AHECC in Australia).
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FOB, Free On Board
Incoterm under which the seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the named port of shipment. Risk and cost transfer to the buyer once the cargo crosses the ship's rail. The buyer arranges and pays for sea freight, marine insurance, and all destination-side costs.
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CIF, Cost, Insurance, and Freight
Incoterm under which the seller is responsible for the cost of the goods, marine insurance, and sea freight to the named destination port. Risk transfers from seller to buyer when the goods are loaded on board at the origin port, but cost responsibility extends to destination port arrival.
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DDP, Delivered Duty Paid
Incoterm under which the seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the buyer's named destination, including all transport, customs clearance, duties, taxes, and unloading at destination. The most seller-heavy Incoterm, often misused in China-export quotes.
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SDS, Safety Data Sheet
The 16-section document that communicates the hazards, handling, storage, and emergency response information for a chemical product. Required at destination customs for any classified hazardous chemical and at the buyer's site for worker safety. SDS is the GHS-aligned successor to the older MSDS format.
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COA, Certificate of Analysis
A document issued by the manufacturer (or by an accredited third-party lab) certifying that a specific batch of a chemical or material meets the agreed specification. Lists tested parameters, results, the test methods used, and a batch number that ties back to production.
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VAT Rebate, VAT Export Rebate
The Chinese government refund of value-added tax paid on inputs used to produce goods for export. Set as a percentage of the export FOB value, varying by HS code and adjusted by the State Administration of Taxation. Rebates of 13%, 9%, 6%, or 0% are typical for chemical exports. The rebate is the single largest policy lever the Chinese government uses to influence which chemicals are exported and at what scale.
Regulatory matrix
Cross-jurisdiction compliance
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Polyvinyl chloride under REACH
European Union listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
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Polyvinyl chloride under TSCA
United States of America listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
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Polyvinyl chloride under IECSC
People's Republic of China listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
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Polyvinyl chloride under AICIS
Australia listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
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Polyvinyl chloride under K-REACH
Republic of Korea listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Cornerstone hub
Buying chain end to end
Where it is made
Chinese industrial parks on this product line
Sourzi operator note
Carbide-versus-ethylene route is the cost decision behind every PVC quote out of China. The downstream buyer who knows the difference saves 8 to 15 percent at the bulk-resin stage.
Curated by Sean. Primary-source verified per the regulatory drafting rules in Sourzi CLAUDE.md.
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