Cochise County announced on Apr. 2 that it is updating its Free Dump Day Program by introducing a new application process and certificate delivery method to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
The changes are intended to streamline the administration of the program, which provides property owners with an opportunity to dispose of refuse at no charge under certain conditions. The county will now require applications for the program to be submitted electronically or postmarked between July 1 and September 30, with forms available for download or online completion through the county website.
Under the revised system, certificates will not be mailed out. Instead, approved certificates can only be used at the transfer station selected during the application process. This adjustment aims to save taxpayer money by cutting down on postage and printing expenses.
Eligibility requirements remain in place: properties must be located within Cochise County, have a local mailing address, meet residential classification criteria set by the Assessor’s Office, and not be more than three years behind on property taxes (excluding the current year). Each property owner may submit up to ten applications but is limited to one per parcel number or address. Approved certificates are valid for one non-commercial load—up to 1,000 pounds—at designated locations during that calendar year. Loads exceeding this limit incur tipping fees; rural stations honor up to $32 off a single load per certificate. Special disposal rules apply for large numbers of tires or agricultural tires at specific landfills.
Applicants will receive approval notifications via email or phone and must present photo identification when using their certificate at transfer stations. For questions about eligibility or application corrections after submission, residents are directed to contact county staff by phone or email as listed in official communications.
Meanwhile, education data from Cochise County show ongoing challenges in student performance: 70% of students in grades 3 through 8 did not pass the mathematics section of the AASA assessment during the 2022-23 school year; 76% of high schoolers failed mathematics on that year’s ACT exam; 62.4% of younger students did not pass English language arts sections; and 65% of high schoolers failed English on their ACTs as well. More recent figures indicate some improvement: 27% of high schoolers passed math on this year’s ACT exam while 28.5% of grades 3–8 students passed math sections on this year’s AASA test.
The broader impact reflects both efforts toward efficient public service management and ongoing educational challenges within Cochise County.
