Gas grills around the state were fired up on Wednesday for the Fourth of July, but where do users go to refill their propane tanks once they’re empty?

If the tank doesn’t have an overfill prevention device, or OPD, it may be difficult to find anyone to refill it.

New regulations in Michigan will prohibit tanks that lack the prevention device from being filled, beginning April 1, 2002. At that time all refilled tanks must have the device, whether they are new, or owners have had the valve installed on an old tank.

For those who don’t want to have a new valve added, it doesn’t mean the tank is completely worthless. In Michigan, the empty tanks are worth $2 each when they are turned in to local propane vendors.

The tank turn-in is part of the Michigan Propane Gas Association’s cylinder recovery program, which promotes the importance of disposing of old tanks as a safety precaution. If an unused propane tank develops a leak, it could ignite and cause an explosion or fire.

The money comes from $10,000 that was donated by the Michigan Propane Gas Association to ensure that the old tanks will be disposed of safely.

Carey McConkey, a spokesperson for the association, said the money comes from propane vendors from across the state who are required to contribute to the fund. McConkey said customers who return the tanks have just recently begun getting money for them.

“Right now we have over $10,000 to give away, and this is going on through the summer, or until the money lasts,” McConkey said.

McConkey said tanks made after 1998 will have the prevention device, and they are easily identifiable by the handle on the tank.

“It’s easy to tell, if your knob is round, you don’t have the device. If it is triangular, you have it,” she said.

Joe Cantu, a sales manager for E-Z Living Inc., 2805 Jolly Road in Okemos, said all the tanks the store has sold for the past couple of years have been fitted with the prevention device.