Washington — Four countries flooded the U.S. resin market with low-priced PET last year and may owe hefty anti-dumping duties, according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Commerce Department.
U.S. resin producers DAK Americas, M&G Group and Nan Ya Plastics Corp. filed a petition with the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission on March 10 claiming damage due to dumping by producers in Canada, China, India and Oman and from improper government subsidies to PET producers in China, India and Oman.
The United States imported PET valued at $239 million from Canada, $92.1 million from China, $51.7 million from India and $51.1 million from Oman in 2014, according to the Commerce Department. According to DAK, those four countries together accounted for nearly 53 percent of U.S. PET imports, growing from 504 million pounds in 2012 to 725 million pounds in 2014.
Heavy tariffs and fines could result if the U.S. federal government finds that the foreign companies are selling PET resin at less-than-fair-value in the United States.
The U.S. federal government has until Feb. 26, 2016 to make a final determination.