Don't Pour Milk Down the Sink

Some time ago, I went to Taronga Zoo and was told not to pour milk down the sink. It was at a seal show, so I took the Zoo's word for it, and have tried to convince my friends that it's a rule ever since!

 I always thought it wouldn't be an issue, however I have since discovered that it actually causes a lot of problems! I do feel terrible, I am not the biggest fan of milk (unless it is in milkshake form), so I used to pour the leftover from my cereal in the sink. Bad!!!!

Apparently, milk has a high Biochemical Oxygen Demand, which measures the amount of oxygen consumed when milk is broken down by bacteria. This means that putting milk down the drain depletes the oxygen in the water, which upsets the biological communities, and results to damage to the ecosystem, including fish. In the case of milk, it takes the oxygen of 1,600 gallons of water to break down the milk. Milk also contains phosphorus, which promotes the growth of algae, which can also upset the balance of the ecosystem, due to the excess oxygen consumed by water vegetation. All that for pouring milk down the drain! 

The best solution is to not waste milk, keep your eye on the used by date, and for me, don't pour too much milk on my morning cereal! If milk does sour, it's best to seal it up and chuck it in the garbage bin!