Japan however does have a few problems with extracting neon. This is because neon is rare on Earth, found in the Earth's atmosphere at 1 part in 55,000, or 18.2 ppm by volume, or 1 part in 79,000 of air by mass. The reason for this is because neon is completely inert, which means it cannot join with another compund, or even itself, so it cannot be found in large quantities. It is also light and has high vapour pressure at low temperatures. Therefore, it is rarer on smaller and warmer planets such as Earth. Although neon is very rare on Earth, it is actually the 5th most abundant element in the universe, because there are traces of neon in stars, which can enter the atmosphere of space. However, neon is still technically a renewable resource, because once extracted, everything that is used goes back into the atmosphere when it is released. The annual world production of neon is about 1 ton, and this will all go back into the atmosphere when the gas is released.
Unfortunately, neon does pose quite a few health concerns and therefore extracting neon can be very dangerous. Some of these health concerns include: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and death, when inhaled. This is only during extraction because when there is a high concentration of neon gas, it can turn into an asphyxiant by displacing the oxygen in the lungs. The liquid form is extremely cold, and therefore, it can cause frostbite immediately upon contact with the skin and eyes.
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