Rebecca James

Rebecca has dedicated over 30 years across the mining, government and industry sectors, to implementing practical solutions for enhanced environmental outcomes in projects and operations.

As Senior Environmental Advisor for Fremantle Ports in Western Australia, Rebecca is focused on issues such as marine environmental protection, decarbonisation and embedding circular economy principles. She is passionate about bringing relevant stakeholders together and sharing knowledge to collaborate on innovative solutions.

Rebecca has a Bachelor of Science from Murdoch University in Environmental Science, and Population, Resources & Technology with postgraduate qualifications in leadership and management. She is a current member of the Cockburn Sound Management Council and Ports Australia Environment, Planning & Sustainability Working Group and Climate Change & Decarbonisation sub-committee.

When it comes to waste, Rebecca has a track record of challenging the status quo. In the northern goldfields she pioneered the backloading of supply trucks with valuable scrap metal from remote mine sites, where the proceeds were donated to the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. In the south-west of the state, she partnered with the ACTIV foundation to establish industry placements for retrieving timber packaging for reuse in ACTIV workshops. In Fremantle, she is leading a pilot program to maximise recycling from cruise ships whilst maintaining strict biosecurity standards.

Rebecca was awarded a 2023 Churchill Fellowship to research best practice waste management and recycling practices from cruise ships in Singapore, Europe and North America. This research will examine alternate ways to minimise solid waste from cruise vessels, to apply to the Australian context.