ITC: Plastic grocery bag imports harm U.S. producers

ITC: Plastic grocery bag imports harm U.S. producers    The U.S. International Trade Commission on Thursday determined that there is a reasonable indication that domestic manufacturers of plastic grocery bags are harmed by similar bags from Vietnam that are allegedly subsidized and from Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value.
   As a result of the ITC's affirmative determinations, the Commerce Department will continue to conduct its countervailing duty investigation on imports of this product from Vietnam and its antidumping investigations on these imports from Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam. The department's preliminary countervailing duty determination is due by June 24, and its preliminary antidumping duty determinations are expected by Sept. 7.
   Hilex Poly Co. in Hartsville, S.C., and Superbag Corp. of Houston petitioned the U.S. government to conduct the countervailing and antidumping duty investigations earlier this year. The United States consumed about $1.5 billion in plastic grocery bags in 2008, of which an estimated $186 million were imported from Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Another $318.54 million were imported form other countries. The leading sources of plastic grocery bags imported into the United States last year were China, Thailand and Vietnam, the ITC said.