Garden Waste -- Pay from August 1st

Garden Waste -- Pay from August 1st
Beggars belief- unable to sign up until August the 1st, then wait up to 3 weeks for a sticker to allow the green bin to be emptied.
Why can you not sign up towards the end of July?
How long does it take to write a name on an envelope, stick a sticker inside and post it 10 minutes.