Dead in the water

Spills from oil tankers and pipelines hit the headlines, but petrol users on land are the worst offenders. A US National Research Council report has found that petroleum users around the world spill some 480,000 tonnes into the ocean, most of which comes from runoff from land spills and emissions from boats used for recreation. Tanker and pipeline spills, by contrast, average just 150,000 tonnes per year, and leaks from oil wells add another 38,000 tonnes.