WASHINGTON - The US Commerce Department announced Thursday that it initiated anti-dumping duty (AD) investigations against imports of certain refrigerant from China.

The products under investigation are certain hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blends and three of the single-component hydrofluorocarbons used to produce such blends. They are used as the refrigerant in residential and commercial air conditioning and refrigeration applications.

The investigations are in response to a request from the American HFC Coalition and its individual members, as well as District Lodge 154 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

The petitioners alleged that the products from China were sold below the fair value of the products in the US market with dumping margin of 111.2 percent to 300.3 percent.

The International Trade Commission (ITC), the US trade authority, was scheduled to make its preliminary inquiry determinations on AD around Aug 10 this year.

The probes will continue if the ITC determines that the imports of such products from China materially injure or threaten the domestic industry of the States. The Commerce Department will then make its preliminary determinations of AD in December 2015.

Imports of these products from China were estimated at a value of about $109.5 million last year, according to US official data.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has kept urging Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.