A NEW report has found the River Irvine to be one of the most toxic rivers in Scotland.

The damning revelation from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has revealed that the River Irvine was found to be contaminated - with what has been officially described to the Irvine Times - as toxic “gender bender” chemicals that are breaching the organisation’s environmental quality standard.

Traces of nonylphenols - chemicals known to disrupt hormones and cause sex change - that SEPA call “gender bender” toxins - were found in both the River Irvine and the Annick Water in the report detected between 2011-13.

It revealed that the River Irvine shamefully recorded an average of 341 nanograms per litre in that period with the Annick Water recording a somewhat more respectable 98 nanograms per litre.

Nonylphenols are endocrine disruptors, which means that they can affect hormones such as oestrogen in the body. Some studies have shown that they can cause fish to become “feminised”, decreasing male fertility and shrinking testicles.

However, despite the use and production of the chemical compounds in Europe being banned, they have recently been detected in clothes imported from China and other Asian countries, where there are no restrictions.

Ashley Roberts, SEPA’s Environmental Chemistry Unit Manager, said: “SEPA’s environmental monitoring will continue to investigate the possible sources and potential mitigation measures needed to support the long-term goal of removing this chemical from the natural environment.

“In the River Irvine, where a marginal breach of the environmental standard was recorded, it is unlikely that the concentration of nonylphenol will have any significant or lasting impact on the ecology of the watercourse.

“Nonylphenols are already heavily restricted under European legislation and SEPA, alongside other UK agencies, has recently provided monitoring data to inform the European Commission’s considerations of whether further restrictions - specifically in relation to textiles - are required.” The revelations come just months after Irvine High Street was named and shamed as one of Scotland’s worst streets for air pollution.

North Ayrshire Council came under fire as a result prompting campaigners from the Save the Magnum group to stage a protest on the street clad in gas masks.

The River Clyde, Kelvin, Tay, Ness and Don also charted on the unflattering list but Irvine was head and shoulders above the rest with its closest rival to the unwanted title being the River Annan with 237 nanograms per litre.

A spokesperson from NAC said: “As the government body responsible for monitoring rivers and waterways, SEPA is the regulatory authority for the River Irvine and Annick Water.

“The council does work closely with SEPA and will assist if requested.”