TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: In the manufacturing process:(i) 1 (a) is effected by the use of an alkaline solution (preferably a group I and II metal hydroxide solution such as aqueous sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide solution, an ammonia solution or a urea solution);(ii) 1 (b) is effected by extrusion and/or pelletization, optionally followed by shredding; and(iii) 1 (c) is effected by intimate mixing or spraying so as to coat the discrete pieces with the composting accelerator.(iv) 2 (a) and (b) are performed such that the balanced carbon/nitrogen ratio of the heap is about 30. EXAMPLE - Composting additive was prepared as follows: wheat straw (30 wt.%) was mixed with a 50% w/v aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. After initial mixing the mixture was allowed to stand for one hour. The straw was separated from the solution and passed through an extruder and formed into pellets. The extrusion step raised the temperature of the mixture to about 60degreesC or higher and broke down the lignocellulosic material. The resultant pellets were shredded which increased the porosity and lowered the bulk density of the compost thus promoting aerobic conditions. Compost heap was prepared by using grass and NaOH-treated wheat straw obtained above. The heap was formed by mixing the additive in the form of shreds to grass clippings (4 kg additive to every 10 kg of grass clippings) and the mixture was added to the compost bin (1 m3). The compost bin was covered with a plastic sheet and temperature recorded at regular intervals. Each compost was mixed after 260 and then 422 hours. A control compost heap was made up of grass alone. Carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios were measured for the test/control. The C/N ratio gradually decreased for the test compost from the optimum of 30, to 10 - 15 for the finished mature product. The test compost had reached a C/N ratio of 24.9 after 69 days and 12.9 after 251 days. While for the control it was initially 14.5, 8.7 after 69 days and finally 8.8 after 251 days by which time the material had putrefied. The test compost was non-odorous, faster to mature and pleasant to handle compared with unpleasant black slimy control.