The U.S. government will impose significant anti-dumping duties on imports of steam activated carbon from China, according to a decision made by the U. S. International Trade Commission on Thursday.

The U.S. industry is "materially injured" by certain activated carbon imports from China, said the ITC in a statement, adding all six commissioners voted in the affirmative.

On Feb. 26, the U.S. Department of Commerce also claimed that activated carbon from China were sold at so-called "less than fair value" in the United States.

As a result of the ITC's decision, the Department of Commerce will issue a significant anti-dumping duty order on the goods from China. The final duties might range between 62.08 percent and 228. 11 percent.

The duties, collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, could be imposed for up to five years after the ITC ruled that the domestic industry is being injured by the dumping.

From 2005 to 2006, imports of activated carbon from China decreased 4.4 percent by volume and were valued at an estimated 25 million dollars in 2006, said U.S. Department of Commerce.

Typical uses of steam activated carbon include removing objectionable tastes and odors from drinking water; reducing organic compounds in waste water; removing color and impurities from foods and chemicals; and removing mercury and dioxins from flue gas emissions.