Chemistry

FACT SHEET Commerce Preliminarily Finds Countervailable Subsidization of Imports of Calcium Hypochlorite from the People’s Republic of China • On May 20, 2014, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of imports of calcium hypochlorite from the People’s Republic of China (China). The CVD law provides U.S. business and workers with a transparent and internationally approved mechanism to seek relief from the market distorting effects caused by injurious subsidization of imports into the United States, establishing an opportunity to compete on a level playing field. For the purpose of CVD investigations, countervailable subsidies are financial assistance from foreign governments that benefit the production of goods from foreign companies and are limited to specific enterprises or industries, or are contingent either upon export performance or upon the use of domestic goods over imported goods. Commerce calculated a preliminary subsidy rate of 71.72 percent based on adverse facts available for mandatory respondents Hubei Dinglong Chemical Co., Ltd., W&W Marketing Corporation, and Tianjin Jinbin International Trade Co., Ltd. because the respondents refused to participate as respondents. All other producers/exporters in China have also been assigned a preliminary subsidy rate of 71.72 percent. As a result of the preliminary affirmative determination, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to require cash deposits based on these preliminary rates. The petitioner for this investigation is Arch Chemicals, Inc. (GA). The merchandise subject to this investigation is calcium hypochlorite, regardless of form (e.g., powder, tablet (compressed), crystalline (granular), or in liquid solution), whether or not blended with other materials, containing at least 10% available chlorine measured by actual weight. The scope also includes bleaching powder and hemibasic calcium...