The Fate of Globe Direct Deliveries Is on the Line

The city is getting together all parties involved, and letting residents vent about the intrusive advertisements.

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The time has come: the City Council will hold a hearing next week to address the constant complaints from residents about the Globe Direct deliveries that clutter walkways and pile up on people’s lawns.

“Numerous local residents have complained about the circulars turning into litter when not retrieved, separated from the plastic packaging, delivered to residences without residents, or when separated by snow, rain, or wind,” said City Councilor Tim McCarthy, who filed a proposal back in June demanding officials address the situation with all parties involved.

After receiving praise from other City Council members, a hearing was scheduled for June 17, which will be hosted by the Committee on City, Neighborhood Services, and Veteran Affairs.

The public is invited to attend the hearing at City Hall, and further express their frustrations with Globe Direct’s delivery practices. McCarthy said he is specifically trying to figure out if the advertisements “run afoul” of Boston’s litter laws, and hopes to chat with the company that tosses the packages onto neighborhood properties to find a way to curtail the excessive distribution.

Other cities, like Cambridge, have come to an agreement with Globe Direct about how their business operates, and set up specific guidelines for residents to opt out of receiving the unwarranted packages.

When McCarthy first called for a hearing about the matter, other elected officials said the service was a “blight” and “ridiculous.”

Complaints on the city’s Citizen Connect App, and even on Twitter, have piled up as high as the plastic-covered offers that line neighborhood lawns.