MILK - Disposal

On many dairy farms, milkhouse wastewater receives little or no treatment before disposal. Because this wastewater contains various pollutants, it must be disposed of carefully, preferably by recycling. The disposal of milk from newly freshened cows or those undergoing treatment should be regarded as a special waste handling problem and kept separate from the milkhouse wastewater. This milk should not be not be discharged to floor drains in the milking center.

Wastewater containing a significant quantity of milk is very difficult to treat because it has a high concentration of readily dissolvable organisms. Each pound of milk solids in liquid waste requires 1.2 pounds of oxygen for bacterial oxidation to create a more stable form EXAMPLE. Serious pollution can result from discharge of untreated milkhouse wastewater into surface water.