Iten Installs Air Quality Sensor to Benefit Athletes and Residents

ITEN – In a significant move towards ensuring a pollution-free environment for its high-altitude training grounds, Iten has welcomed the installation of an air quality sensor at St. Patrick’s Iten. This initiative, a collaboration between Athletics Kenya (AK) and the Stockholm Environment Institute of Africa, aims to monitor the air quality for the benefit of both athletes and the local community.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Institute Director, the newly launched sensor will measure air impurities that can adversely affect health. This development is especially critical in Iten, renowned worldwide as a training hub for top athletes. The sensor will alert the community to high levels of pollutants, prompting investigations into their sources and encouraging solutions to mitigate the issue.

Dr. Osano emphasized the importance of the installation, which coincided with World Wetlands Day celebrations, drawing parallels between protecting human lungs and safeguarding wetlands, described as the Earth’s lungs. He highlighted concerns over plastic pollution and chemicals contaminating river systems, underlining the interconnectedness of air, soil, and wetland health. “When the earth is not healthy, we are also not healthy,” Dr. Osano remarked, pointing out the broader environmental implications of air quality.

The director further noted the sensor’s educational potential, suggesting it could serve as a practical learning tool for students in various fields. Chemistry students can explore methods of measuring air impurities, physics students can study the sensor’s technology, and humanities students can investigate its environmental impacts.

Jackson Tuwei, the President of Athletics Kenya, acknowledged the pressures of urbanization on Iten, emphasizing the necessity of such equipment to guarantee a clean training environment for the hundreds of athletes who flock to the county. This initiative underscores a growing recognition of the critical link between environmental health and athletic performance, setting a precedent for other training locations worldwide.