LUSAKA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- A law aimed at regulating the use of packaging materials such as plastic bags and their resultant waste came into effect in Zambia on Monday.

Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Permanent Secretary Edward Chomba said the extended producer regulation extends the responsibility of the producer of a product or class of products to the post-consumer stage of the product or a class of products.

He told reporters during a press briefing that the extended producer regulations will also regulate non-returnable glass and plastic bottles, cartons, beverage cans, waste oils, pesticide or chemical containers, used tyres, electrical and electronic equipment.

According to him, the regulation requires a person or persons whose activities generate waste with potential to pollute the environment to employ measures to minimize waste through treatment, reclamation, re-use, recovery or recycling.

The ministry, he said, has been engaging stakeholders on the content, framework and the way the regulation will operate and that the process of engagement was ongoing.