TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The modified polyvinyl alcohol crosslinked material (MPACM) has the partial carboxy alkylated structures of formulae -CH(O-(CR1R2)n-COOX)-CH2-, and -CH(O-(CR1R2)n-COO-)-CH2-, -CH(O-(CR1R2)n-CON(R3)-)-CH2- or -CH(O-(CR1R2)n-COS-)-CH2-.R1, R2 = H or up to 10C hydrocarbyl;R3 = H or up to 20C hydrocarbyl;X = alkali metal or ammonium, andn = 1-5.MPACM is a carboxy alkylated material obtained from polyvinyl alcohol having a number average molecular weight of 5000-10000000 and monohalogenated carboxylic acid. MPACM is carboxy alkylated material, formed by carboxy alkylation of 0.1-100 mol% of hydroxy group in a repeating unit. 0.01-30 wt.% composting adjuvants are added to the compost raw material. EXAMPLE - 44g of polyvinyl alcohol powder having a number average molecular weight of 200000 was dissolved in 1 l of distilled water. 48 g of sodium hydroxide was added and heated at 60degreesC, for one day. 140 g of aqueous chlorinated sodium acetate solution was dropped, refluxed for 8 hours and 500 ml of ether was added after cooling to obtain a white precipitate of carboxymethylated polyvinyl alcohol. The precipitate was refined, dried and purified carboxymethylated polyvinyl alcohol having 90% carboxy methylation rate, yield of 124 g (60% of polyvinyl alcohol referent standard) and having number average molecular weight of 150000 was obtained.    10 g Of the obtained carboxymethylated polyvinyl alcohol was dissolved in 1 l of distilled water at room temperature and the pH was adjusted to 6-8 using 0.1 mol/l hydrochloric acid and 0.1 mol/l aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. 20 mg of ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether was added as crosslinking material and stirred at room temperature for 1 hour. The mixture was heated at 70degreesC and reacted for 2 hours. The solvent was distilled under reduced pressure and crosslinked material of carboxymethylated polyvinyl alcohol was obtained as a transparent lump in an yield of 10 g (100% yield). The lump was ground to a particle size of 1000-200 mum.    The water absorption multiplying factor of 1 g of crosslinked material of carboxymethylated polyvinyl alcohol was evaluated. The crosslinked material showed water absorption multiplying factor of 25.22. 200 mg of crosslinked material of carboxymethylated polyvinyl alcohol having water absorption multiplying factor of 25.22 and 5 kg of cow dung slurry (livestock excrement) were mixed and packed in a preheated cylindrical tube having favorable air permeability and provided with ventilation. The state of slurry before and after fermentation and the changes in the slurry after 1,3,5 and 7 days were evaluated. The internal temperature and concentration of carbon dioxide emitted during the fermentation were measured. Internal temperature was found to be 58degreesC, 60degreesC, 42degreesC and 32degreesC, and carbon dioxide concentration was found to 11.5%, 8%, 1% and 1%, after 1,3,5, and 7 days, respectively.