Oil spills account for only about five percent of the oil entering the oceans.
The Coast Guard estimates that for United States waters sewage treatment plants discharge twice as much oil each year as tanker spills. Each year industrial, household cleaning, gardening, and automotive products pollute water. About 65,000 chemicals are used commercially in the United States today, with about 1,000 new ones added each year. Only about 300 have been extensively tested for toxicity. The most frequently found item in beach cleanups is pieces of plastic.