[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 52 (Monday, March 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16654-16655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06033]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-904]


Certain Activated Carbon From the People's Republic of China: 
Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: As a result of the determinations by the Department of 
Commerce (``the Department'') and the International Trade Commission 
(``ITC'') that revocation of the antidumping duty order on certain 
activated carbon from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') would 
likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and material 
injury to an industry in the United States, the Department is 
publishing a notice of continuation of the antidumping duty order.

DATES: Effective Date: March 18, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Bob Palmer, AD/CVD Operations, Office 9, 
Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-9068.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On March 1, 2012, the Department initiated a sunset review of the 
antidumping duty order on certain activated carbon from the PRC, 
pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the 
Act'').\1\ As a result of its review, the Department determined that 
revocation of the antidumping duty order on certain activated carbon 
from the PRC would likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of 
dumping and, therefore, notified the ITC of the magnitude of the 
margins likely to prevail should the order be revoked.\2\ On March 1, 
2013, the ITC published its determination, pursuant to section 751(c) 
of the Act, that revocation of the antidumping duty order on certain 
activated carbon from the PRC would likely lead to a continuation or 
recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States 
within a reasonably foreseeable time.\3\
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    \1\ See Initiation of Five-Year (``Sunset'') Review, 77 FR 12562 
(March 1, 2012).
    \2\ See Certain Activated Carbon From the People's Republic of 
China: Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Review of the 
Antidumping Duty Order, 77 FR 33420 (June 6, 2012).
    \3\ See Certain Activated Carbon from China: Determination, 78 
FR 13894 (March 1, 2013); see also Certain Activated Carbon from 
China: Investigation No. 731-TA-1103 USITC Publication 4381 
(February 2013).

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[[Page 16655]]

Scope of the Order

    The merchandise subject to the order is certain activated carbon. 
Certain activated carbon is a powdered, granular, or pelletized carbon 
product obtained by ``activating'' with heat and steam various 
materials containing carbon, including but not limited to coal 
(including bituminous, lignite, and anthracite), wood, coconut shells, 
olive stones, and peat. The thermal and steam treatments remove organic 
materials and create an internal pore structure in the carbon material. 
The producer can also use carbon dioxide gas (CO2) in place 
of steam in this process. The vast majority of the internal porosity 
developed during the high temperature steam (or CO2 gas) 
activated process is a direct result of oxidation of a portion of the 
solid carbon atoms in the raw material, converting them into a gaseous 
form of carbon.
    The scope of the order covers all forms of activated carbon that 
are activated by steam or CO2, regardless of the raw 
material, grade, mixture, additives, further washing or post-activation 
chemical treatment (chemical or water washing, chemical impregnation or 
other treatment), or product form. Unless specifically excluded, the 
scope of the order covers all physical forms of certain activated 
carbon, including powdered activated carbon (``PAC''), granular 
activated carbon (``GAC''), and pelletized activated carbon.
    Excluded from the scope of the order are chemically activated 
carbons. The carbon-based raw material used in the chemical activation 
process is treated with a strong chemical agent, including but not 
limited to phosphoric acid, zinc chloride, sulfuric acid or potassium 
hydroxide, that dehydrates molecules in the raw material, and results 
in the formation of water that is removed from the raw material by 
moderate heat treatment. The activated carbon created by chemical 
activation has internal porosity developed primarily due to the action 
of the chemical dehydration agent. Chemically activated carbons are 
typically used to activate raw materials with a lignocellulosic 
component such as cellulose, including wood, sawdust, paper mill waste 
and peat.
    To the extent that an imported activated carbon product is a blend 
of steam and chemically activated carbons, products containing 50 
percent or more steam (or CO2 gas) activated carbons are 
within the scope, and those containing more than 50 percent chemically 
activated carbons are outside the scope. This exclusion language 
regarding blended material applies only to mixtures of steam and 
chemically activated carbons.
    Also excluded from the scope are reactivated carbons. Reactivated 
carbons are previously used activated carbons that have had adsorbed 
materials removed from their pore structure after use through the 
application of heat, steam and/or chemicals.
    Also excluded from the scope is activated carbon cloth. Activated 
carbon cloth is a woven textile fabric made of or containing activated 
carbon fibers. It is used in masks and filters and clothing of various 
types where a woven format is required.
    Any activated carbon meeting the physical description of subject 
merchandise provided above that is not expressly excluded from the 
scope is included within the scope. The products subject to the order 
are currently classifiable under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States (``HTSUS'') subheading 3802.10.00. Although the HTSUS 
subheading is provided for convenience and customs purposes, the 
written description of the scope of the order is dispositive.

Continuation of the Order

    As a result of the determinations by the Department and the ITC 
that revocation of the antidumping duty order would likely lead to a 
continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an 
industry in the United States, pursuant to section 751(d)(2) of the 
Act, the Department hereby orders the continuation of the antidumping 
order on certain activated carbon from the PRC. U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection will continue to collect antidumping duty cash deposits at 
the rates in effect at the time of entry for all imports of subject 
merchandise. The effective date of the continuation of the order will 
be the date of publication in the Federal Register of this notice of 
continuation. Pursuant to section 751(c)(2) of the Act, the Department 
intends to initiate the next five-year review of the order not later 
than 30 days prior to the fifth anniversary of the effective date of 
continuation.
    This five-year (``sunset'') review and this notice are in 
accordance with section 751(c) of the Act and published pursuant to 
section 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: March 11, 2013.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-06033 Filed 3-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P