The interface between urban wastes and the issue of Ecodesign is the central theme of this work. Increasing awareness of the importance of man's commitment to the environment has moved Design towards sustainability. On the basis on the relation between people and their objects and the accumulation of urban refuse, a study is made of the make up of solid waste in contemporary cities, and present management measures for dealing with this problem are examined. The role of the designer as innovator in this context is to investigate alternatives to avoid accumulation of urban waste, from the perspective of sustainability, stressing new ways of managing avoidable wastes. Novel management measures are proposed, with emphosis on dematerialization and biodegradability. The importance of introducing biodegradable plastic in the productive process is described in the context of the world situation and of ongoing research on this material in Brazil. In this way, Ecodesign gives rise to an attitude in project design that aims at improved quality of life for people and the survival of our planet.