PITTSBURGH -- An estimated 24 million television sets are thrown away every year in the United States. Only 17 percent of TVs are recycled.

The numbers show 600,000 tons of TV waste going into landfills each year and with the upcoming switch to digital, that amount will likely go up.

There's nothing illegal about putting an unwanted TV out by the curb. But environmental experts warn the toxic chemicals trapped inside may end up back in your water, your food and your body.

"We've hinged this so that we can flip this and look at the insides of the television," said Dave Mazza with the Pennsylvania Resources Council, showing the potentially dangerous parts of a TV.

Mercury, cadmium, Beryllium and lead are all found inside most TVs. Computers monitors and TV sets contain about 8 pounds of lead in a powder form.

When old televisions are crushed in landfills it sends the powdered lead into the environment, potentially contaminating runoff water.

There's also a seedy side to selling old TVs and other toxic electronic waste to third-world countries. Mazza said children work in poor conditions and are paid to smash picture tubes to get valuable parts.

"To get the glass, they break this tube which releases this powder lead," Mazza said. "It's being crushed and this lead leaks out and can contaminate tens of thousands of gallons of ground water."

Once stripped for the reusable metals the rest is dumped or burned, releasing hazardous chemicals.

In China, children have been found with double the amount of lead in their blood than what's acceptable in the United States.

The PRC is holding a "Don't Trash That TV" collection, similar to the one held last year in Robinson.

For a small fee based on your TV's size you can get rid of it and be assured that it will be recycled properly.

Glass recycled from each monitor as well as PVC that's shredded can be reused in new computer equipment.

"Every car battery has lead plates in it similar to this. So they can end up and use this again," Mazza said.

In fact, 90 percent of each TV and computer monitor can be recycled.

The "Don't Trash That TV" event is taking place on Saturday. There are two drop-off locations: Construction Junction in East Liberty or the City of Pittsburgh environmental services facility in the Strip District from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.