Petitions Filed for New AD Duties on Nitrile Rubber

A domestic manufacturer filed petitions June 30 with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping duties on acrylonitrile butatiene rubber from France, Mexico and South Korea. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD duty investigations on non-latex, non-hydrogenated nitrile rubber from these three countries. Zeon Chemicals and Zeon GP filed the petition.

Proposed Scope

The product covered by this investigation is commonly referred to as acrylonitrile butadiene rubber or nitrile rubber (“NBR”). NBR is a synthetic rubber produced by the emulsion polymerization of butadiene and acrylonitrile with or without the incorporation of a third component selected from methacrylic acid or isoprene. NBR is sold in bale, slab, crumb, powder, pellet, particulate, and liquid form. NBR in the latex form (Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States at subheading 4002.51.00) is excluded from the scope of this investigation. Also excluded from the scope of this investigation is: a) NBR containing additives (e.g. nitrile rubber further compounded with fillers, reinforcement agents, vulcanization agents, etc.; by example, products classified under HTSUS subheading 4005); b) NBR containing rubber processing chemicals, NBR containing other materials used for further processing beyond the polymerization process: and, (c) hydrogenated NBR (commonly referred to as HNBR) produced by subsequent dissolution and hydrogenation of NBR. The merchandise subject to this investigation is classified in the HTSUS at subheading 4002.59.00. Although the HTSUS subheading is provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise under investigation is dispositive.

Commerce Accepting Comments on Petition Support

The Commerce Department is accepting comments on domestic industry support for the petitions to determine whether the petitions meet the dual requirements of support by domestic producers or workers accounting for (1) at least 25% of the total production of the domestic-like product and (2) more than 50% of the production of the domestic-like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. If the petitions meet these requirements, among others, Commerce will initiate an antidumping duty investigation. Comments are due July 20.