The US International Trade Commission approved anti-dumping duties on optical brightening agents from China and Taiwan on Thursday, after rejecting duties on steel wheels from China and refrigerators from South Korea and Mexico earlier this week, Reuters reported. The commission also approved duties on steel nails from the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, voting 6-0 in both cases that US producers had been materially injured or threatened by the imports. The panel will vote Monday on a fifth case involving imports of steel wire from China and Mexico. North Carolina company Clariant Corp brought the case against exporters of brightening agents. China sent about US$39 million worth of brighteners, which are used in laundry detergents, cosmetics and paper, to the US last year, while Taiwan supplied US$19 million.