Steel makers back gov’t drive against substandard products

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) supports the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) in its recent crackdown against substandard steel to ensure that construction materials used in homes and buildings are safe and strong.

In a series of operations, the DTI’s Consumer Protection Group led by DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo confiscated steel bars that did not meet quality standards in several hardware stores in Luzon. It also confiscated substandard steel bars by Pampanga-based Wan Chiong Steel which was supposed to be under suspension already due to various violations.

 “We inspected their plant, together with the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) and the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), because their operations have already been suspended but it seems that they continue to operate,” Castelo said in an interview following the inspection at Wan Chiong Steel’s plant in San Simon town.

 According to Castelo, Wan Chiong Steel was initially suspended in June 2018 but was allowed to operate again after it complied with the regulatory requirements. However, it was issued another suspension order last December following another inspection which showed that its steel products did not meet the required tensile strength.

Wan Chiong Steel uses induction furnace (IF) equipment to produce steel which has already been banned in China due to the pollution it has been causing and the usually below standard quality of their output.

 It has been reported by the ASEAN Iron and Steel Council that 90 percent of the rebars produced in China using the IF process were “substandard with poor mechanical property in elongation and strength which could easily fracture during application.”

 “The PISI will continue helping the DTI in market monitoring  of steel products that are covered by the mandatory Philippine National Standard (PNS). We need to work together to protect the public from purchasing substandard steel materials that are not safe to use in constructing buildings and homes,” PISI president Roberto Cola said.

 Aside from Pampanga, the DTI Consumer Protection Group has also launched market monitoring operations in Baguio City and Quezon City.

 Castelo also warned the retail outlets such as the hardware stores that are selling these substandard steel products. "They will be subjected to hefty fines and the products that did not meet the required standards will be confiscated."