ECAT was co-founded in early 2024 by a group of long-standing Elwood residents who had noticed an increase in plastic litter in the Elwood Canal.
Led by former member of the The Whittles Family singing group, Tracy Harvey, and resident Paul Cullity, they soon attracted a group of like-minded Elwoodians to regularly collect litter from the canal.
Since then, the group has incorporated and achieved official charitable status expanding its focus to include all the issues related to the Elster Creek Catchment of which the canal is the most visible and last part.
it has been quoted in several prominent media coverages including in The Age and the ABC. 

Future plans include achieving Deductible Gift Status with the Australian Taxation Office to help attract donations to enable it to expand its influence including by funding independent water and sediment testing.