Abstract

Waste management has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges confronting rapidly urbanizing states in sub-Saharan Africa, and Rivers State, Nigeria, is no exception. The proliferation of solid waste across Port Harcourt and the state's other urban centres reflects not only infrastructural deficits but also deeply entrenched behavioural and attitudinal patterns that formal environmental education has the potential to reshape. This article examines the systematic review on the impact of environmental education on waste management practices in Rivers State, drawing on a synthesis of recent peer-reviewed scholarship to determine the relationships between environmental knowledge acquisition, attitudinal change, and behavioural outcomes in household, community, and institutional waste management contexts. The article provides conceptual clarifications of environmental education, waste management, and environmental behaviour. These are situated within the broader sustainability discourse relevant to the Niger Delta region. A review of relevant literature explores both global and Nigeria-specific evidence on the efficacy of environmental education interventions, whilst the theoretical analysis draws on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Social Learning Theory, and Education for Sustainable Development as interpretive lenses. The study made use of Narrative/Traditional review. The discussion highlights the significant benefits of welldesigned environmental education programmes, including improved waste segregation, increased recycling participation, and reduced open dumping, alongside persistent barriers such as inadequate curriculum integration, teacher capacity deficits, and the absence of supportive waste infrastructure. The article concludes with actionable recommendations for educational planners, environmental regulators, and community stakeholders in Rivers State.

Keywords

Behavioural Change, Environmental Education, Rivers State, Sustainable Development,Waste Management