It's perfectly natural for new homeowners to mark their territory with a fresh lick of paint. Britons spend £144 million a year on it, according to The Ecologist magazine.

Yet few pause to consider the ingredients that make up the average tin of paint. They include a potent cocktail of solvents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - which have prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to rank paint as one of its top five environmental hazards - and are said to be the cause of sick-building syndrome.

Even if individuals are aware of the carcinogenic and neurotoxic potentials of paint, the alternative - an organic coating - is often viewed as inaccessible, awkward to use and much more expensive. But the reality is that organic paints are competitive in terms of price, ease of use, coverage and colour range. They are also sweeter smelling and unbeatable health-wise.

Thanks to EU pressure and increasing interest in environmental issues, more people are beginning to appreciate these qualities. Green retailers and some interior designers are pointing to a massive rise in general interest in organic paints over the past two years. Most are made in Germany or Sweden, since both countries are 20 years ahead of Britain on green issues. But there are now one or two excellent brands emerging here.

The trend is likely to continue, because new European regulations came into effect in January requiring manufacturers to list VOCs on all building coatings. These regulations will become even more stringent in 2010. So the entire industry is being forced to think along more "natural" lines, not just the consumer.