Judge: AVX Myrtle Beach suit now class action

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — As many as 229 property owners in Myrtle Beach could become plaintiffs in a lawsuit against electronics manufacturer AVX Corp. that alleges the company contaminated groundwater.

The Sun News of Myrtle beach reported (http://bit.ly/pkgYLE ) a state judge this week certified the suit as a class action.

The four-year-old lawsuit suit says the company polluted groundwater with an industrial degreaser linked to cancer and other health problems. The lawsuit contends the pollution ruined property values in a 12-block area near the old AVX plant. The suit is not expected to be heard until next year.

AVX settled a separate lawsuit with an adjacent property owner earlier this year while a third contamination lawsuit is pending.

The Associated Press left a message with AVX on Friday seeking comment on the judge’s ruling.

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Information from: The Sun News, http://www.thesunnews.com/