Carlino Giampolo has grown so frustrated by early morning trash pickups that disturb his sleep in Waikiki that he marched in front of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, on Wednesday in protest of the practice.

Since moving from Kakaako to Waikiki, Giampolo has found his sleep disturbed sometimes as early as 2:30 a.m. by the sounds of private garbage collectors revving loud truck engines, beeping horns, crushing and grinding trash and banging bins as they empty trash into their trucks.

It’s always been hard to balance Waikiki’s status as the state’s economic engine against the needs of residents who live in the heavily populated neighborhood. But the lengthy pandemic-­inspired downturn of 2020 and parts of 2021 hinted at the possibilities. As the visitors come back and Waikiki returns to its position as the state’s top resort district, noise complaints are getting louder again, rising almost to the level of frustration over crime and homelessness.

Two bills inspired by the quest to reduce noise in Waikiki are pending in the Honolulu City Council, where they are awaiting hearings before the Transportation, Sustainability and Health Committee.

At Giampolo’s urging, Council member Calvin Say has introduced Bill 23, which bans trash pickup before 6 a.m. It passed first reading in April but needs to be scheduled for a TSH Committee hearing.

Council Chairman Tommy Waters introduced Bill 43, which bans amplified sound in Waikiki under certain conditions. The bill passed its second reading in February. It was amended by the TSH Committee in March, and needs committee Chair Radiant Cordero to schedule a hearing to proceed.

Cordero said the Honolulu Police Department raised some concerns about Bill 43 at the TSH hearing on March 23, so the committee is collaborating with HPD on amendments.

“When we agree on an amended version, we intend to schedule this bill for a hearing,” she said.

Cordero said she intends to hear both bills but must work through a slight committee backlog first.

When asked where she stood on the bills, Cordero said, “I support any effort that increases the quality of life for our residents. Our legislative process greatly values input from the public to help guide Council members in making decisions to best serve the people.”

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser encountered a greater diversity of opinions from Waikiki residents and businesses.

For instance, Bill 23 is more popular with Waikiki residents than the district’s businesses owners. Some businesses owners fear that later trash collection could interfere with commerce and traffic, and if lots of stinky trash cans are left sitting around, that might mar the resort district’s image as a world-class destination.

Waikiki businesses, outside of street performers, mostly like Bill 43, which bans all noise in Waikiki created by the use of a sound amplifier that can be heard from a distance of 30 feet or exceeds a predetermined level of decibels when measured from that distance. The proposed ordinance would exempt noise generated during an emergency or an emergency response, as well as noise from parades and other activities.

According to Bill 43, “a person’s right to free speech must be balanced with the right of the recipient not to listen.”

It has garnered support from Waikiki residents and other stakeholders, including the Honolulu Police Department, Waikiki Improvement Association, Waikiki Neighborhood Board and Waikiki state lawmakers.

Bill 43 doesn’t mention street performers, who have been appearing in higher numbers in Waikiki since tourism ticked up and the city relaxed some restrictions. Still, some street performers say they are being unfairly targeted as the bill excludes commercial establishments.

Bill 23, the garbage bill, has implications beyond Waikiki, where it started due to Giampolo’s grassroots efforts.

He has contacted all the powers-that-be about garbage pickup times. Giampolo has testified to the Waikiki Neighborhood Board and the Honolulu City Council.

He has held street pickets in front of places like the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach. The Ritz-Carlton declined to comment on Giampolo’s protest of early morning trash collection there.

“Whether you are impacted by this or not, it’s an injustice. No one deserves the indignity of being awakened as early as 2:30 a.m.,” Giampolo said.

If private companies cannot accommodate later trash pickups, Giampolo wants Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi to consider creating a city refuse collection system to take over their commercial hotel and condominium accounts, especially in the Waikiki Special District.

The two private trash collectors that operate in Waikiki, West Oahu Aggregate and the Honolulu Disposal, did not immediately respond to the Star-Advertiser’s request for comment. However, some of their business clients have voiced informal opposition to Bill 23.

Bill 43 has elicited far more official testimony than Bill 23, probably because it’s further along in the legislative process.

Rick Egged, president of the Waikiki Improvement Association, said WIA supports Bill 43, which he expects will advance once logistics like how to calibrate noise and enforcement are determined.

“We have no issue with street performers entertaining visitors on Waikiki’s sidewalks, but when our bars and nightclubs must comply with a reasonable noise standard and street events must shut down at 10 p.m., there should be no reason why Bill 43 should not be passed and enforced regulating the amplified sound of street performers,” he said.

Egged said WIA has not taken a position on Bill 23, the garbage bill.

“Although I understand the concerns of the residents, we are not sure what the consequences would be,” Egged said. “WIA is looking into talking with the private trash companies.”

Tina yamaki, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, said the retail organization does not support mandating trash collection times because the restrictions would have a negative trickle-down impact on businesses.

“If they have to hire more trash collectors and costs go up, prices could go up or businesses could make employment cuts,” shes said. “When you hurt the retailer, you hurt locals. We hire local people to work at our stores.”

Yamaki said delays also could create traffic and safety issues by making it harder for people, including residents and workers, to enter or exit Waikiki.

Michael Cox, director of operations for the Royal Hawaiian Center, said pushing trash collection later into the day would greatly affect Waikiki business, residents and visitors.

Cox said delays could lead to more instances of dumpster diving or noticeable smells.

“Nobody wants to walk by and see a truck uploading rubbish. Condo owners don’t want to smell that, either,” Cox said.

Sam Shenkus, the Royal Hawaiian Center’s vice president of marketing, said the issue is much broader than Bill 23 portrays.

“Imagine if all of the businesses in Waikiki are impacted by a later trash pickup schedule and you have thousands of visitors that part of their daily sight line is trash removal trucks,” Shenkus said. “Then there are employees taking longer to get into work and longer to get out of work. It seems like there is a whole lot more of us involved than just this one guy.”