The U.S. Department of Commerce said on Tuesday it began an investigation into whether imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin from Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan were being dumped in the U.S. market.

The U.S. International Trade Commission is expected to make a decision by Nov. 13 on whether imports of the material used to make clothing and plastic bottles harm or threaten to harm U.S. producers, the department said in a statement

If they are found to do so, the Commerce Department would continue its investigation and make a preliminary antidumping decision by March 5, 2018, the department said.

The probes were prompted by petitions filed by DAK Americas LLC of North Carolina, Indorama Ventures USA Inc of Alabama, M&G Polymers USA LLC of Houston, and Nan Ya Plastics Corp America of South Carolina, a unit of Taiwan’s Nan Ya Plastics Corp , the department said. Indorama Ventures USA Inc is not a petitioner with respect to the Indonesia investigation, it said.

The estimated dumping margins alleged by the petitioners range from 18.76 to 115.87 percent, 8.49 to 53.50 percent, 55.74 to 101.41 percent, 25.03 to 43.40 percent, and 14.67 to 45.00 percent for Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan, respectively, the statement said.

In 2016, imports of PET resin from Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan were valued at an estimated $51.7 million, $35.7 million, $24 million, $34.1 million and $109.8 million, respectively. (Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Andrew Hay)

Source: The Reuters