Just to be clear, if any of us wanted to, we could disregard the law, and as much DCM stripper as we wish would be on its way to us 'under the radar' with just two mouse clicks, - one for 'Buy Now' the other for Paypal.
But no, however academically qualified we may be it makes no difference as far as the statutory requirements are concerned.
Only 'Professionals' are able to purchase and use dichloromethane based products, and only after successfully completing the HSE assessment and receiving a certificate of competence with a unique licence number. The use of dichloromethane based products is restricted regardless of the type of material being removed from an object.
A ban was placed on the market of dichloromethane (DCM)-based paint strippers for use by the general public after 6 December 2011 by the European Union on 3 June 2009. It became a Commission Regulation formally amending REACH (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 276/2010). In 2014 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) produced the REACH Enforcement (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/2882).
The Regulations amend the REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/2852) to allow the supply and professional use in the UK of paint strippers based on the solvent dichloromethane (DCM) by introducing necessary training requirements and a mandatory HSE certificate of competence for professional users. Copies of the Regulations, explanatory memorandum and impact assessment are available at
www.legislation.gov.uk.
Source:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis19.pdf
https://icon.org.uk/system/files/doc...thane_faqs.pdf
So yes, by all means, anyone who is so inclined, can easily get hold if the stuff, if they are content to break the law.
Ride at your own risk.