"AVX Shifting Blame"

Once again AVX is in the news. In the Oct. 14 issue of the Sun News there was an article pertaining to the on going controversy about AVX's responsibility in the pollution of aquifers surrounding its Myrtle Beach location. To this day, AVX has not admitted its role in the pollution problem and is still trying to diffuse responsibility. This time they claim that the former air force base holds some share of the blame and therefore, the U.S. government should foot the bill for clean up. They make this claim even though all evidence shows that the air force base had nothing at all to do with it. Homeowners in the area feel that AVX is showing no concern for them and the pollution to their groundwater at all. They are angry and rightfully so.

It seems to me that AVX is blatantly violating the social contract between business and its environment. Perhaps a look at the broad view of social responsibility would lead them to the conclusion that they need to internalize these externalities at any cost, if for no other reason than there is a moral obligation.