Petroleum runoff and recreational
vehicle discharge have a major
environmental impact
The conclusion of Oil in the Sea III, perhaps surprising
to many, is that oil from individual cars and boats, lawn
mowers, jet skis, marine vessels, and airplanes contribute
the most oil pollution to the ocean. This includes
land runoff from oil slicks on urban roads and hydrocarbons
deposited from the atmosphere. According to the
report’s estimates, use-related oil pollution dwarfs that
from oil and gas production activities, accounting for
about 87 percent of the oil from human activity in North
American waters.