Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. On Earth hydrogen is connected to other elements or compounds so it must be extracted. In its purest form, hydrogen is a non-toxic colourless and odourless gas.
Many millions of tonnes of hydrogen are safely produced annually around the world. It is widely used in industry, especially the petroleum, chemical and food sectors. Currently, most hydrogen is made by an industrial process called steam methane reforming (SMR). This takes natural gas and reacts it with steam to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
As with every chemical or fuel, safe handling practices are required but hydrogen is non-toxic and does not pose a threat to human or environmental health if released.