Business leaders unite at Terrigal Haven to remove 45 kg of waste during the 2025 Take 3 CEO Clean Up!

On the morning of Friday, 28 March, Take 3 for the Sea hosted its annual CEO Clean-Up at Terrigal Haven, NSW. The event brought together more than 40 business leaders and CEOs who traded their office spaces and boardrooms for a hands-on morning of education and environmental action. The Take 3 CEO Clean-Up is the first of its kind, providing business leaders with the opportunity to lead by example and make a positive change in their community. 

Despite the beach and nearby parkland appearing relatively clean at first glance, the team managed to collect an impressive 45 kg of litter. This serves as a reminder that even seemingly clean coastal areas can conceal significant amounts of waste, hidden beneath the sand or drifting along the shoreline. 

In total, participants removed 2,009 individual littered items. This debris included but was certainly not limited to 224 pieces of hard plastic, 454 cigarette butts, and 258 plastic food packaging pieces.  

Every clean-up reveals an unexpected assortment of rubbish, and this year was no exception. Some of the more unusual items found were a discarded crab trap, Crocs Jibbitz, surf wax, dental floss, dentures, strips of carpet and a headless statue of an angel. 

All collected waste was responsibly sorted, ensuring recyclable materials were processed correctly and the remainder disposed of properly. 

This year’s event was a great success, with local business leaders demonstrating their commitment to protecting our environment. Their efforts not only helped restore the natural beauty of Terrigal Haven but also reinforced an important message: the solution to plastic pollution is complex, but if we all do our bit, together we can make an impact.  

The event was proudly supported by LEP Digital, a Central Coast-based digital content marketing agency. Laura Prael, Director of LEP Digital and a long-time advocate for Take 3’s mission, emphasized the urgency of tackling plastic pollution. 

“We are proud to support this initiative,” said Laura. “Plastic pollution remains one of the biggest threats to our oceans, marine life, and environment. With over 8 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean each year, businesses across Australia play a role in the problem, but we can also be part of the solution. Reducing single-use plastics in our businesses, communities, and homes is essential. It all starts with awareness and a commitment to change.”