The company has already lodged an appeal against the decision, Haimo Primas, Lafarge's boss since February, told the press on Friday.

Lafarge claims the cement plant is in conformity with EU emission regulations after having invested EUR 32m in upgrades.

It lost the permit in 2011 in the aftermath of s strong campaign by local environmental NGOs, which claimed its emission figures were wrong.

At issue is whether emissions from the waste-powered furnace are in conformity with regulations.

The Environment Agency argued in its latest decision that the data submitted by the company was not compliant with emission provisions that entered into force in 2012.

The agency said a permit may still be issued for the contentious furnace, provided that a programme of measures is adopted for preventing and reducing emissions from other installations or sources of pollution that affect the entire impact area.

The company can currently produce cement in Trbovlje, but it is not permitted to use waste as fuel in its furnaces.

Lafarge Cement director general for Central and Eastern Europe Thomas Spannagl said the France-based company had obtained environmental permits throughout Europe, including for waste incineration.

He said it was difficult to understand why the Trbovlje plant had to fight so hard to get a permit, considering it is among Lafarge's plants with the smallest environmental footprint.

Eko krog, the local environmental organisation that has spearheaded the fight against Lafarge, said today the company's claims that emissions were in conformity with the law were incorrect.