Solarium operators shed sunbeds to public

With Governments introducing bans and restrictions on commercial solariums, struggling operators are offloading unwanted sunbeds online.

Sydney's Sun-Herald newspaper has reported that commercial sunbed units "are being sold for as little as $200 as the industry faces collapse owing to regulations restricting the use of solariums."

The NSW Government is introducing new laws banning commercial ultraviolet (UV) solaria tanning units in NSW that will be effective from 31st December 2014. This follows Victorian legislation restricting sunbed usage

University of Sydney public health professor Simon Chapman, was quoted as saying it would be a "public service" for State Governments to buy the machines at the low market price and destroy them, or to outlaw reselling them.

Chapman stated "the biggest risks are for young people in their teens and early 20s - because it's not a commercial premise you could use the thing as much as you wanted.

"They're completely outside the reach of any regulation or inspection and that's a real problem."

In NSW solarium owners say they are unaware of State Government plans to support them as they face the loss of their businesses when the legislation begins in 2014.

When the ban was announced in February, the Government said it would help them dispose of the tanning units and diversify their businesses. But Fiona Gamble, from Soleil Tanning in Darlinghurst, said she had found it difficult to get answers from the Environment Protection Authority.

Gamble explained "I know a lot of salon owners have been trying to seek clarification from the EPA but they are very bad at returning phone calls."

Gamble said the industry was regulated at present "but if you are using a sunbed at home and you don't know what you're doing, you could be at risk".

Cancer Council Chief Executive of the Cancer Council NSW, Andrew Penman, urged consumers not to buy a tanning unit for home use, stating "private use is up to the discretion of the individual but private use in the home does not make it any more safe than use in a solarium.

"I would be very concerned about whether the machines are being properly maintained. If the machine is not maintained, the radiation output could become variable and it would be difficult for the individual to monitor that."

In Victoria, under-18s are banned from tanning salons and operators are forced to display health warnings or face $1 million fines.

Since the 2008 laws came in, the number of outlets has plummeted 67% from 436 to 143 salons.

Along with the NSW government's ban in 2014, many in the industry are offloading sunbeds on sites such as eBay, Gumtree and Trading Post.

For more information about Solarium Regulations in NSW visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/radiation/solaria.htm

4th February 2012 - NSW GOVERNMENT BANS COMMERCIAL TANNING UNITS

14th February 2011 - SETTLEMENT PRECEDES POTENTIAL SUNBED BANNING LEGISLATION

30th July 2009 - 'NO DOUBT' SUNBEDS CAUSE CANCER