HDTV gas harmful to environment?

Researchers from the University of California have discovered that nitrogen triflouride, a gas used to manufacture HDTVs, could be harmful to the environment.

In scientific journal, Geophysical Research Letters, researcher Michael Prather says that production of the gas has increased rapidly to around 4,000 tons.

The problem is that, unlike other greenhouse gasses, nitrogen triflouride is not regulated by the 1992 Kyoto Protocol, as it wasn’t used significantly at that time.

Compared with carbon dioxide, nitrogen triflouride is 17,000 times more potent, and with the manufacture of HDTVs growing rapidly, it seems that urgent action is needed to ensure that steps are taken to protect the environment until more is know about the gas.