Contractors that use environmentally friendly IT equipment over a five year period could actually be paying less than those who do not, one expert has said.

Michael Shanks, chief technology officer of Ultraspeed, said that while the initial cost may be higher, it will enable contractors to use less equipment, power and cooling, meaning that total cost over a five-year stretch could actually be less.

He explained that capital expenditure would increase when purchasing environmentally-friendly equipment as lower power parts are niche in the industry. Just using 8GB sticks of ram costs more than 4GB, he continued.

This comes after Andrew Boddington, marketing director at Ethical IT, said that it is important to focus on recycling electronic waste in the UK because if the issue is not addressed, it could harm developing countries.

He added that while there is a security risk that accompanies recycling electronic waste, this can be addressed through data wiping and granulation.