TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The minimum fine for dumping trash bags will rise to NT$3,600 (US$115) from NT$1,200 next month, Taipei City Government said Wednesday (July 12).

Local neighborhood chiefs in the capital’s Wanhua District showed up at a meeting with Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) displaying pictures of torn bags with cockroaches and rats, CNA reported. Responding to their demands for tougher action, he promised to increase the number of inspectors and mobile cameras, but also announced the introduction of higher fines.

The threefold increase will take effect Aug. 15, while the city will also raise penalties for a host of other types of littering including problems related to cigarettes, pets, betelnut juice, and illegal ad stickers. While no legal amendments needed to be passed, the Department of Environmental Affairs said the changes still needed to be prepared, with a period built in to advise citizens of the new measures.

The aim of higher fines was not to raise revenue for the city, but to prevent pollution from getting out of hand and creating problems which would be more expensive to solve in the end, officials said.