Question

which of these terms describes a pesticide that does not break down easily or quickly in the environment? persistent organic biodegradable compostable

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each term:

• "Persistent" means something that remains or does not break down easily/quickly in the environment, which matches the description of the pesticide.
• "Organic" refers to substances related to living matter or containing carbon (except simple compounds), not about breakdown rate.
• "Biodegradable" means a substance can be broken down by natural processes, which is the opposite of what we need.
• "Compostable" means a substance can be decomposed in composting conditions, also implying breakdown, not persistence.

Answer:

A. persistent