Today’s Moves Towards Eco-innovation in the Medical Electronics Sector Jamie O’Hare 1 Researcher Dr Elies Dekoninck 1 Design Lecturer Dr Aidan Turnbull 2 Environmental Consultant Prof. Chris McMahon 1 Design Lecturer 1. University of Bath Engineering IMRC Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Bath Bath BA2 7AY United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0)1225 383 870 Fax: +44 (0)1225 386 928 E-mail: J.A.O’Hare@bath.ac.uk E.A.Dekoninck@bath.ac.uk C.A.McMahon@bath.ac.uk 2. ENVIRON UK Ltd – WEEE, RoHS & Eco-Design Practice Hartham Park Corsham Wiltshire SN13 0RR United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0)1249 700 104 Fax: +44 (0)1249 700 105 E-mail: aturnbull@uk.environcorp.com Abstract This paper presents a detailed analysis of the drivers for eco-design within the specific industry of medical electronics. It is suggested that the three most significant issues can be grouped under the headings ‘regulation’, ‘sustainable procurement’, and ‘competition-driven innovation’. This paper discusses these pressures and their effects including:  a review of the relevant current and future legislation,  examples of how sustainable procurement principles are currently being applied within the medical electronics market, including interview evidence from procurement practitioners, and,  examples of how product design and business model innovation are being used by leading companies to deal with these pressures. This paper concludes that, because of the particularly strong drivers for improvements in environmental performance of products, other industries are likely to be able to learn from successful companies in the medical electronics sector and that medical electronics manufacturers are more likely to be willing to engage in more radical ‘eco-innovation’ approaches.