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February 3, 2012TANNING salons are to be banned in NSW by late 2014, the NSW Greens and the state opposition say.
The government is set to announce today that commercial solariums will be banned in three years' time.
The NSW opposition and NSW Greens both want the ban to take immediate effect.
"In the three-year period before the government's proposed bans takes effect, 54 people will in die in NSW," Greens MP John Kaye told AAP on Friday.
Dr Kaye said there were 77 solariums in NSW that would be forced to close as a result of the ban.
The Greens also want the sale of solariums for private use heavily regulated.
Opposition environment spokesman Luke Foley also demanded an immediate ban.
"If the government is talking about doing this for health reasons then we should have the ban immediately," Mr Foley said.
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"If we're doing this for health reasons we shouldn't be waiting three years."
Exact details of the government's proposals were not immediately clear but a spokesman for Environment Minister Robyn Parker confirmed an announcement about solariums would be made on Saturday morning.
Mr Foley said tanning salons had been doing a roaring trade in Sydney this summer, with rain and cold weather encouraging extra customers.
"Sun beds have been doing a roaring trade this grey, wet summer," he said in a statement.
"It's time for the O'Farrell government to build on the achievements of the former Labor government and introduce an immediate and total ban.
"Tanning beds are categorised as a grade one carcinogen by the International Agency for Research in Cancer.
"We know that solarium use by people aged under 35 increases their risk of developing melanoma by 98 per cent."
