We feel this issue has been blown way out of proportion by ridiculous marketing claims. The problem with petroleum use is we burn oil, not use oil. We would have a virtually infinite supply of oil if we did not depend on it for our transportation needs. It's an excellent use for them. What is very important is the type of detergents used.
Nonyl phenols are quite toxic, slow to biodegrade, and have no business in any cleaning product.
However, they are used extensively because they cost about half what the linear alcohols cost. As a consumer, unless the product is clearly labeled, you have absolutely no way of knowing which detergent has been used. These are primarily used in laundry liquids, however, they are also found in dish liquids. What you should be looking for are clearly labeled products with exact ingredients listed. Obviously, if you can reuse the packaging, you come a long way in minimizing the damage caused by cleaning products.