---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1273"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1273"
heading: "Imports"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1273"
units:
  - "Chapter 30 — Hazardous Substances"
---

# §1273. Imports

- (a) **Delivery of samples to Commission; examination; refusal of admission—** The Secretary of the Treasury shall deliver to the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c), upon its request, samples of [hazardous substances](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) which are being imported or offered for import into the United States, giving notice thereof to the owner or consignee, who may appear before the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) and have the right to introduce testimony. If it appears from the examination of such samples or otherwise that such [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) is a [misbranded hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=p) or [banned hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=q-1) or in violation of [section 1263(f) of this title](/usc/15/1263.md?p=f), then such [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) shall be refused admission, except as provided in [subsection (b)](#b) of this section. The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause the destruction of any such [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) refused admission unless such [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) is exported, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, within ninety days of the date of notice of such refusal or within such additional time as may be permitted pursuant to such regulations.
- (b) **Disposition of refused articles—** Pending decision as to the admission of a [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) being imported or offered for import, the Secretary of the Treasury may authorize delivery of such [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) to the owner or consignee upon the execution by him of a good and sufficient bond providing for the payment of such liquidated damages in the event of default as may be required pursuant to regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury. If it appears to the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) that the [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) can, by relabeling or other action, be brought into compliance with this chapter, [final determination](/usc/15/37a.md?p=4) as to admission of such [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) may be deferred and, upon filing of timely written application by the owner or consignee and the execution by him of a bond as provided in the preceding provisions of this subsection, the Secretary[^1] may, in accordance with regulations, authorize the [applicant](/usc/15/7a.md?p=3) to perform such relabeling or other action specified in such authorization (including destruction or export of rejected [hazardous substances](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) or portions thereof, as may be specified in the Secretary’s[^2] authorization). All such relabeling or other action pursuant to such authorization shall, in accordance with regulations, be under the supervision of an officer or employee of the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) designated by the Secretary[^1], or an officer or employee of the Department of the Treasury designated by the Secretary of the Treasury.
- (c) **Expenses in connection with refused articles—** All expenses (including travel, per diem, or subsistence, and salaries of officers or employees of the United States) in connection with the destruction provided for in [subsection (a)](#a) of this section and the supervision of the relabeling or other action authorized under the provisions of [subsection (b)](#b) of this section, the amount of such expenses to be determined in accordance with regulations, and all expenses in connection with the storage, cartage, or labor with respect to any [hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=f) refused admission under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, shall be paid by the owner or consignee and, in default of such payment, shall constitute a lien against any future importations made by such owner or consignee.
- (d) **Statement of exportation: filing period, information; notification of foreign country; petition for minimum filing period: good cause—** Not less than thirty days before any [person](/usc/15/1261.md?p=e) exports to a foreign country any [misbranded hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=p) or [banned hazardous substance](/usc/15/1261.md?p=q-1), such [person](/usc/15/1261.md?p=e) shall file a statement with the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) notifying the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) of such exportation, and the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c), upon receipt of such statement, shall promptly notify the government of such country of such exportation and the basis upon which such substance is considered misbranded or has been banned under this chapter. Any statement filed with the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) under the preceding sentence shall specify the anticipated date of shipment of such substance, the country and port of destination of such substance, and the quantity of such substance that will be exported, and shall contain such other information as the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) may by regulation require. Upon petition filed with the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) by any [person](/usc/15/1261.md?p=e) required to file a statement under this subsection respecting an exportation, the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) may, for good cause shown, exempt such [person](/usc/15/1261.md?p=e) from the requirement of this subsection that such a statement be filed no less than thirty days before the date of the exportation, except that in no case shall the [Commission](/usc/15/1261.md?p=c) permit such a statement to be filed later than the tenth day before such date.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “Commission”.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be “Commission’s”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 86–613, § 14, July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 379; Pub. L. 89–756, §§ 2(i), 3(e), Nov. 3, 1966, 80 Stat. 1304, 1305; Pub. L. 95–631, § 7(c), Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3746; Pub. L. 110–314, title II, § 204(b)(4)(D), (F)–(I), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3042.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–314, § 204(b)(4)(D), (F), substituted “upon its request” for “upon his request” and substituted “Commission” for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” in two places.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–314, § 204(b)(4)(F), (G), substituted “appears to the Commission” for “appears to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” and “Commission designated by” for “Department of Health, Education, and Welfare designated by”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–314, § 204(b)(4)(H), (I), substituted “statement with the Commission” for “statement with the Consumer Product Safety Commission” and struck out “(hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Commission’)” before “notifying”.

1978—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–631 added subsec. (d).

1966—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–756 substituted “a misbranded hazardous substance or banned hazardous substance” for “in misbranded packages”.