November 4, 2009 — The U.S. Commerce Department has imposed antidumping duties ranging from just under 29 percent to just under 96 percent on imports of plastic shopping bags from Vietnam, Indonesia, and Taiwan, according to Crains' Plastics News China online edition.

The preliminary determination announced October 28 means that importers of plastic grocery and shopping bags from those three regions will have to post a bond or pay a cash deposit to cover the estimated antidumping duties.

The ruling was in response to a petition filed seven months ago by the law firm King & Spalding, LLP on behalf of U.S. plastic-bag manufacturers Hilex Poly Co., LLC and Superbag Corp.

The number of plastic bags exported from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan more than doubled from 6.8 billion in 2006 to 14.6 billion in 2008, increasing the market share of those three countries from a total of 7 percent to 15 percent. Meanwhile, the value of bags exported from those three countries nearly tripled—from US$63.5 million in 2006 to $182 million in 2008, Plastics News said, quoting an official.

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