AVX ruled responsible for contamination (Update: DHEC proposes dangerous plan)

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Nasty Water

Update 11/2: DHEC answered questions from citizens and public officials Tuesday as well as proposing a solution to remediate the contamination.

Enhanced anaerobic bioremediation basically involves pumping a cocktail of organic liquids into the ground to naturally break down the TCE. Our online research shows that the risk with this degradation approach is the TCE turns into Vinyl Chloride, a highly toxic and flammable carcinogen potentially much more harmful than TCE.  

The bioremediation plan will take 15 years to execute and cost AVX about $5.5 million dollars. WBTW has a video package on the meeting and proposal. See that here. The Sun News also has a fairly lengthy write-up. Read that here.


 

Update 10/29: On Tuesday, November 1st, DHEC will hold a public meeting to discuss the environmental impacts and clean up options of the TCE contamination.

The meeting will be held at 6:00pm at Lakewood Elementary School. More details about the meeting, including the proposed clean up plan, can be found in this PDF document.

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Update 9/5: Judge Larry Hyman, this past Tuesday, August 30, has given the case against AVX class-action status and it now involves 229 property owners near the contaminated 17th Avenue site. 

Hop on over to The Sun News for the full write-up.


Update 7/11: AVX Corp. will appeal the ruling by a Federal Judge on their fault in the ground water contamination. The Sun News has the details


Update 5/24: AVX has entered into a land agreement deal with Horry Land Company to purchase the 21.5 acre contaminated tract adjacent to their 17th Ave Ave. property for $4.6 million. The Sun News has the complete details. 


 

First report: Last week a federal judge ruled that the the AVX Corporation is 100% responsible for the groundwater contamination off of 17th Ave. South in Myrtle Beach. The AVX Corporation must pay all of the costs associated with cleaning the contaminated groundwater to safe environmental standards. That estimated cost is around $6 million. 

The trial revealed that AVX officials knew as early as 1981 that contaminating chemicals were seeping into the the areas water-table.  

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has developed a website (page) to provide the public with quick access to AVX information and the ability to register for future updates.

The Sun News has done a great job at keeping up with the story. Read about thejudge's ruling here. See the complete court doc here. 

WMBF News has a video and write up of the judges decision. Read/watch it here. 


AVX has manufactured a variety of ceramic capacitors and electronic components at its Myrtle Beach since 1972. In 2009 AVX moved its world headquarters from Myrtle Beach to Greenville, SC. 

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