Lamp Trends '08

In addition to heightening recycling awareness, some lamp manufacturers are addressing the green issue by working with the lamps themselves. One company has created an optimized control circuit for high-wattage lamps that helps to extend lamp life, which ultimately lessens the lamp waste salons produce.

Another company has taken on the task of reducing the level of mercury contained within its lamps and changing the type of waste the lamps are classified as. These lamps have passed an environmental test called Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, which certifies that the lamps have reduced their level of environmentally-hazardous wastes. However, this does not mean lamps can be tossed in the trash. They still contain hazardous waste and must be disposed of in a specific way.

When salon operators choose a lamp, they must consider whether the product is FDA-compliant and has an adequate lamp life. In addition, some of the most-asked questions are about output, whether the lamp has new technology or standard performance, and whether the distributor provides compatibility sheets with the lamps ordered. All of these issues are important when deciding what lamp bests fits the salon’s needs.

Replacement lamps must be as effective as the original lamps—plus or minus 10 percent—in causing erythema and melanogenesis. Federal, state and local authorities report that this is a frequent breach found during a tanning salon inspection. Once lamp compatibility is established, FDA regulations require the manufacturer to print the specific models that the new lamp is designed to replace somewhere on the lamp or accompanying packaging. If a lamp manufacturer or distributor fails to make a lamp compatibility report available, it would be wise for salon owners not to use the lamp in question. This standard must be followed even in areas without specific state regulations.

Manufacturers give recommendations on the useful life of their lamps; however, these recommendations only can be used as a guide because there is no clear and official definition of the term “useful life.” Each manufacturer can make its own definition. In addition, different operating conditions, as well as equipment-related factors, can have a considerable effect on the actual useful life of a tanning lamp.

For more information on lamps and to get answers from other salon owners regarding lamp questions, log on to TanToday's Sunlamp Forum.