Derry City Council bans sunbeds from local leisure centres

Derry City Council has announced it is to ban all sunbeds from its leisure centres.

The decision was taken at a special meeting of Derry City Council on Thursday evening following discussions with local health authorities.

Representatives from Althnagelvin Hospital and the Sunbed Association were in attendance at the meeting. Among those where Dr Raymond Fulton, a consultant dermatologist from Altnagelvin, who revealed that during holiday times the hospital treated up to three sunbed users each week.

He said most suffered burns to their eyes - similar to those caused by an arc welder.

Explaining the decision, Chief Environmental Health Officer, John Meehan said: “Derry Council recognises the evidence presented by health specialists that demonstrated the relationship between sunbed use and skin cancer. Council is satisfied that, in the interest of health protection, the provision of tanning equipment should be discontinued.

“Council also agreed that officers from its Environmental Health Department would take a proactive role in the regulation and monitoring of the commercial tanning facilities in the Council area. This will involve ensuring that commercial operators and private hire companies comply with codes of practice within the industry and ensure all operators are familiar with the Department of Health and the Health and Safety Executive Guidelines. In particular, Council is concerned with tanning facilities hired for domestic use and the general public should be aware of the dangers and ensure control of exposure."

Mr Meehan said that although local people were likely to continue to use sunbeds despite the ban, the Council would begin to raise awareness into the dangers of using such facilities.

(MB)