The city is launching a new offensive to monitor tanning salons and warn customers of the dangers of skin cancer from overexposure to UV radiation, The Post has learned.
In what could be the Bloomberg’s Administration’s final health crusade, the anti-tanorexic plan will be submitted to the Board of Health on Tuesday,. The board — all appointees of Mayor Bloomberg — is expected to adopt the new rules, which would take effect in the spring following public hearings.
The proposed rules would:
— Require the Health Department to inspect tanning salons, UV machines and timers at least once every two years. Machines that don’t meet standards would be shut.
— Crack down on unlicensed operators. There are 106 tanning salons with permits, but officials suspect there are others operating illegally
— For the first time, require operators of UV equipment to undergo training
— Enforce the law that bars adolescents under 17 from frequenting tanning shops
— Launch a public education campaign at the tanning salons to warn New Yorkers — particularly kids — of the dangers of too much UV radiation.
“There is no doubt that tanning increases the risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer,” said Daniel Kass, the city’s deputy health commissioner for environmental health. “We want to make sure kids are not using these salons.”
Last year, nearly 900 city residents suffered from melanoma, the most severe form of skin cancer.
That’s double the number of the 1990s.
And 100 New Yorkers died from melanoma in 2012, Kass said.
Authorities increased their focus on tanning salons after tanning-addicted New Jersey mom Patricia Krentici was busted for bringing her 5-year-old daughter inside a tanning booth.
Officials said many young people are ignorant about the dangers of overexposure to UV radiation Sixty percent of young tanners nationwide have suffered from burns, Kass said.
Under the proposal, the city Health Department would assume oversight of tanning salons from the state, which issues their permit. Officials said the local health agency has more resources and manpower to monitor salons than its state counterpart.
The war against dangerous tanning skin cancer is a fitting ending to Bloomberg’s 12-year tenure as an aggressive enforcer of public health.
Under his rule, the city banned smoking and trans fats, required the listing of calories in fast food restaurants and waged campaigns against calorie-laden sodas and other sugary drinks to fight obesity.