Suffolk considers changing contractors for sludge-to-oil project

After nearly a year of waiting, the Bellone administration is losing patience with Arizona-based RDX Technologies — the Rumpelstiltskin-like firm that wanted to do a pilot program to turn Bergen Point sewage sludge into fuel oil.

Still without a signed contract, the county is exploring working with other firms that are developing similar technologies, Bellone spokesman Justin Meyers said.

RDX had several false starts last year. It was supposed to begin a two-month pilot project Feb. 15, but has yet to return a final contract to the county. The delay comes after the county refused to share $50,000 of the pilot project costs, in light of lower fuel prices. Officials had high hopes for the project to save the $5.2 million annual cost of shipping 110 million pounds of sludge away.