Welsh Government
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Further restrictions on sunbed use in Wales

From Monday 31st October the introduction of The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 (Wales) Regulations 2011 will require the competent supervision of sunbed use in all sunbed businesses in Wales, Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced.

The move follows a ban on sunbed businesses from allowing the use of, or access to, sunbeds on their premises by under-18s.  This was introduced in April this year under the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010. As well as ensuring all salons are properly supervised, the new Regulations also:

  • prohibit the sale or hire of sunbeds to under 18s;
  • extend to businesses that operate from domestic premises the requirement that sunbeds are not used, or offered for use, to under 18s on those premises;
  • prescribe the health information that is to be displayed and made available to adults who may seek to use a sunbed;
  • prohibit the provision or display of any material relating to health effects of sunbed use, other than material containing the health information prescribed; and,
  • require the provision and wearing of safe and appropriate protective eyewear for adults.

The mandatory provision of health information will make customers aware of the health implications of using sunbeds, such as a higher risk of skin cancer and eye damage. The promotion of sunbeds as beneficial to health will also be prohibited through the introduction of these Regulations.
Local authorities will be responsible for enforcing the new Regulations on sunbed premises.

The Welsh Government has provided local authorities with funding of £122,000 in 2011/12 to assist with the introduction and enforcement of the Regulations. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Wales has delivered training on behalf of the Welsh Government to local authority enforcement officers in Wales on this legislation to ensure they are fully prepared and trained to carry out their enforcement duties.

Lesley Griffiths said:

“There is no doubt among health experts that using sunbeds can be very harmful. They have been linked to a higher risk of skin cancer, eye damage, and premature skin ageing.

“Melanoma is a skin cancer that develops in young people and sunburn is a risk factor for melanoma. This is why it is already an offence for salons to allow, or offer, someone under the age of 18 to use sunbeds on their premises.

“From 31 October, it will also be an offence for sunbed salons to be unsupervised, or to sell or hire a sunbed to anyone under 18. We are providing all sunbed businesses with posters which they will have to display, and a health information fact sheet which they must provide to all customers before they use a sunbed.

“Should someone over the age of 18 still wish to use a sunbed, salons must ensure they are offered protective eyewear. Breaches of the Act and the Regulations, which will be monitored by local authorities, could attract a maximum fine of £5,000 under the Regulations and £20,000 under the Act.”

Dr Tony Jewell, Chief Medical Officer, said:

“This is a significant step forward for Wales in protecting young people from the risks of skin cancer.

“The Welsh Government was determined to bring in tighter controls through these Regulations to ensure further measures were in place to protect under 18s in Wales, and also balanced measures introduced to protect and inform those over 18 who choose to use sunbeds. We have worked closely with local government in Wales to introduce these Regulations.”

Sarah Woolnough, Director of Policy, Cancer Research UK, said:

“Cancer Research UK is delighted that from Monday 31st October 2011 new regulations come into force which will ensure that all sunbed salons in Wales are staffed to guarantee that under-18s cannot use sunbeds.  

“We know that young people across Wales, particularly teenage girls, have used sunbeds in large numbers which is why Cancer Research UK helped campaign for the recent legislation to make it illegal for under-18s to use sunbeds. We believe these new supporting measures introduced by the Welsh Government will make the legislation as effective as possible and help save lives.

“Sunbeds are not a safe alternative to tanning - using a sunbed before the age of 35 increases the risk of malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, by 75 per cent. Skin cancer rates have risen sharply over the last 30 years and melanoma is the second most common cancer in under-35s.”

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