Page 46 - Plastics Nuews October 2017

INTERNATIoNAL NEWS

Single-use plastic bags to be Chemical makers step up

banned in WA from mid-2018 dumping claims

nother Australian state, Western Australia (WA), .S.-based chemical makers are pressing claims that
Ahas announced it will ban single-use high density Uoverseas competitors are underpricing exports in
polyethylene carry bags, starting in July next year In its bid an effort to steal market share, a practice known as
to protect the environment, West Australian retailers will dumping. The trade complaints come as Congress and
be barred from giving shoppers single-use plastic bags from the Trump Administration say they will take aggressive
next July, with the state becoming the latest Australian actio n to
jurisdiction to announce a ban. Accordingly shoppers will prot e ct
instead be required to bring their own bags or forced to do mes tic
purchase reusable ones from stores under the changes manufacturers
announced by the McGowan Government. Environment from unfair
Minister Stephen Dawson said the announcement had the t r a d e
backing of major retailers, and was confident any backlash practices. Four
from shoppers and smaller stores would be minimal."We major polymer
will talk to industry over the next few months about our co mpanies
scheme," Mr Dawson said. "There is public support for it with operations in the U.S.—DAK Americas, Indorama
now so we wanted to give the community some confidence Ventures USA, M&G Polymers USA, and Nan Ya Plastics
that we are bringing in a ban across the state. —have filed petitions alleging that polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) resin makers in Brazil, Indonesia,
"Premier Mark McGowan said the distribution of single-use
plastic bags at shops had a devastating environmental Pakistan, South Korea, and Taiwan are pricing exports
impact. "Plastic can blow all over the place. It can blow to the U.S. at less than fair value. PET is used to make
into our rivers, our wetlands and our oceans and it kills basic goods including soda bottles and polyester fibers.
marine life," Mr McGowan said. South Australia, Tasmania, The U.S. producers claim that dumping is causing them
the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory financial injury and are asking the U.S. government to
already have plastic bag bans in place, while Queensland impose antidumping duties on the imports.
They point out that U.S. imports of PET from the
countries rose by 305% to over 270 million kg from 2014
to 2016. Separately, the U.S.-based chemical company
Chemours claims that Chinese and Indian producers of
polytetrafluoroethylene, a resin that Chemours sells
under the trade name Teflon, are dumping products
in the U.S. Chemours says the Indian companies
unfairly benefit from export subsidies awarded by
the government of India. The petitions will kick off
investigations by the U.S. Commerce Department to
determine if imported products are unfairly priced and
by how much. If dumping allegations hold up, the U.S.
International Trade Commission then determines if
domestic producers are truly harmed by the practice.
is also moving to implement one. In WA, the City of The government can impose antidumping duties to
Fremantle previously moved to ban single-use plastic bags level the playing field.
within the local government area but had the scheme Domestic manufacturers are likely emboldened by
voted down in State Parliament. The City of Perth also the Trump Administration’s tough talk on enforcing
flagged implementing its own bag ban earlier this year. trade rules, according to trade attorneys contacted
A statewide ban could also in theory be voted down in by C&EN.
State Parliament's Upper House, but Mr Dawson said he
was confident that would not happen.
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