Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed Act 751 into law April 19, prohibiting cities and counties from regulating what types of bags and to-go containers businesses can use and legally invalidating Fayettevilleâs ban on single use polystyrene foam, also known as Styrofoam.
Fayetteville City Council members voted unanimously to ban the use of single-use Styrofoam products by Fayetteville businesses in November 2019. Following the ban, business owners transitioned to using non-Styrofoam to-go containers, with most switching to plastic or compostable paper containers. Owners will have the option to return to using Styrofoam when Act 751 goes into effect late this summer.
Fayetteville City Councilwoman Teresa Turk, a sponsor of the 2019 ordinance, said eliminating or reducing reliance on single-use containers is a small step to make Fayetteville a âlittle greener.â In light of Act 751, she hopes businesses will continue to use alternatives to Styrofoam, which is estimated to make up
Behind the brick and wood façade of Thep Thai Restaurant in Fayetteville, 45-year-old Tepthida Gingsumrong prepares pork larb and egg drop soup for a family of six. At 10:30 a.m. on this Monday in early February, the spicy pork salad and soup is the first meal to be cooked in the restaurant. And this particular family of employees, though not blood-related to each other, is the first to taste the fruits of the restaurant ownerâs labors each day.
In August 2020, the atmosphere at Thep Thai was much more somber. Gingsumrong had just laid off four employees over the summer, and she and her employees were struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. She had to look each of her eight employees in the eyes and have an honest conversation with them about potentially closing Thep Thai for good.