Having designed and installed many septic systems over the years , I have never heard of this problem , but upon doing a little research , it seems that whey is more detrimental to the environment than one would guess , and its disposal a huge problem for cheese makers.
I have been putting it into my septic system ( about four gallons a week ) , but am now looking at other methods of disposal before any problems arise.
Below is one issue with whey:
On June 14, Minerva Cheese Factory accidentally released whey, a milky cheese byproduct, into a storm sewer, said Doug Miller, an ODNR law enforcement supervisor. A filter malfunction caused the whey to enter the sewer, Miller said.
"Minerva Cheese Factory has been very cooperative with the investigation," Miller said. "This is an unfortunate circumstance, but truly unintentional."
When the whey entered Sandy Creek, it depleted oxygen, killing fish along a 1.5 mile stretch downstream from the Minerva Wastewater Treatment Plant, Miller said.