A new shade of blue is being added to the colors of the coral reef in the Philippines: that of the thousands of surgical masks used to protect themselves from Covid and then thrown away.
Shovels of waste: Up to 280 extra tons per day during the peak of the outbreak, according to an estimate by the Asian Development Bank.
The images of the ongoing degradation in coral reefs near the Philippine capital, Manila, were captured in a video by the BBC. Environmental groups, reports the British broadcaster, warn that the plastic contained within the masks is breaking and is being consumed by marine life. A warning to improve the management of medical waste, to prevent further pollution of the seas.