Importing Plastics and articles thereof from South Korea into Australia (2026)

Importing Chapter 39 plastics from South Korea under KAFTA can deliver meaningful tariff savings, but preferential rates are only accessible with a valid KAFTA Certificate of Origin or Origin Declaration confirming Rules of Origin compliance, while food-contact, childrens, or hollow outdoor plastic items simultaneously trigger mandatory FSANZ, ACCC, or DAFF biosecurity obligations that must be resolved before customs clearance.

✓ FTA Active: KAFTAHS Chapter 39

Free Trade Agreement

Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement

Chapter 39 goods originating in South Korea may qualify for preferential duty rates under KAFTA. Goods must meet the rules of origin and be accompanied by a valid certificate of origin.

View KAFTA rates and requirements →

Compliance requirements

⚠Obtain a KAFTA Certificate of Origin or Origin Declaration from the Korean exporter before lodging the import entry.
⚠For food-contact plastic items, secure FSANZ-compliant food-grade declarations or migration test results from the Korean supplier prior to shipment.
⚠Inspect hollow plastic outdoor furniture for soil, plant material, or organic matter in cavities to avoid DAFF biosecurity intervention on arrival.
⚠Food-contact plastics (containers, wrapping film, cutlery) must comply with FSANZ standards — suppliers should provide a food-grade declaration or migration test results confirming compliance with FSANZ Food Standards Code Standard 1.4.3
⚠Plastic items containing wood, soil, plant material or organic matter in cavities (e.g. outdoor furniture with hollow legs) trigger DAFF biosecurity inspection and may require treatment or re-export under the Biosecurity Act 2015
⚠Children's plastic products (toys, feeding items) are subject to the ACCC's mandatory consumer product safety standards — importers must ensure compliance with AS/NZS 8124 and relevant ACCC product safety notices before customs clearance
⚠Anti-dumping measures are actively applied to plastics from China and other countries — check the ABF Anti-Dumping Commission register before shipment, particularly for PVC products, polyethylene film and styrene polymers, as duty liabilities can be substantial and retrospective
⚠Plastic packaging subject to the Australian Packaging Covenant (APCO) and state-based container deposit schemes may impose downstream obligations on brand owners and importers — not a customs hold-up but a compliance cost that surprises new importers
⚠A KAFTA Certificate of Origin or Origin Declaration must be provided at time of entry to claim preferential tariff rates under KAFTA, with the exporter or producer attesting to Rules of Origin compliance
⚠Anti-dumping and countervailing duty measures are actively in force on certain Korean steel products including hot-rolled coil, plate and hollow sections - importers must check the ABF anti-dumping register prior to lodging entry
⚠Electrical and electronic goods must meet ACMA regulatory compliance requirements including RCM marking under the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS), and relevant AS/NZS standards must be demonstrated before goods are cleared
⚠Motor vehicles and automotive parts from Korea must comply with Australian Design Rules (ADRs) administered by the Department of Infrastructure, and used or second-hand vehicles are subject to strict biosecurity and asbestos-containing material (ACM) inspection requirements

Key documents required

commercial invoice with full polymer type description (e.g. HDPE, PET, PP) and HS subheading declared by supplier
bill of lading or airway bill
packing list with net and gross weights per SKU
food-grade declaration or third-party migration test certificate for any food-contact plastic articles
ACCC supplier declaration or test report for children's plastic products subject to mandatory safety standards

Import tip

Declaring the specific polymer type and form (e.g. 'polypropylene, in primary forms, random copolymer' vs 'articles of polypropylene') in the commercial invoice prevents ABF tariff reclassification disputes — the boundary between Chapters 39 and 40, and between primary forms and finished articles, is a common audit trigger that delays clearance and generates amendment costs.

Calculate the total landed cost for Chapter 39 goods from South Korea — duty, GST, IPC, and biosecurity included.

Calculate Landed Cost Find HS Code with AI

Other product categories imported from South Korea

Ch.87Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof Ch.85Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles Ch.84Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof Ch.72Iron and steel Ch.40Rubber and articles thereof Ch.90Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof