nonpersistent

/ ˌnɒnpəˈsɪstənt /

adjective

1. (of pesticides) breaking down rapidly after application; not persisting in the environment

Example Sentences

The Department of Defense claimed the mines would be “nonpersistent” and expire after a short period, but anti-mine activists warned civilians would be endangered if these mechanisms failed.

From The Guardian

It is intended “to provide the commanders on the ground nonpersistent munitions that are necessary for mission success in major contingencies in extreme or exceptional circumstances,” he said.

From New York Times

The new policy once again allows the U.S. military to produce mines for use outside the Korean Peninsula and potentially develop technological advances on the current stockpile of nonpersistent mines, Mercado said.

From Washington Post

Victorino Mercado, a top Pentagon official in charge of strategy, plans and capabilities for the U.S. military, said during a briefing Friday that the United States would only ever use “nonpersistent” mines — which are set to self-destruct in a certain number of minutes, hours or days after their emplacement.

From Washington Post

Alternatives to DDT include nonpersistent pesticides, which break down faster in nature, and biological controls using insect predators to prey on pests.

From Time Magazine Archive