the nozzle, as well as changing the type and size of abrasive. Typical abrasive cuts have a kerf in the range of , but can be as narrow as . Non-abrasive cuts are normally , but can be as small as , which is approximately that of a human hair. These small jets can permit small details in a wide range of applications. Water jets are capable of attaining accuracy down to and repeatability down to . Due to its relatively narrow kerf, water jet cutting can reduce the amount of scrap material produced, by allowing uncut parts to be nested more closely together than traditional cutting methods. Water jets use approximately per minute (depending on the cutting head's orifice size), and the water can be recycled using a closed-loop system. Waste water usually is clean enough to filter and dispose of down a drain. The garnet abrasive is a non-toxic material that can be mostly recycled for repeated use; otherwise, it can usually be disposed of in a landfill. Water jets also produce fewer airborne dust particles, smoke, fumes, and contaminants, reducing operator exposure to hazardous materials. Meatcutting using waterjet technology eliminates the risk of cross contamination since the contact medium is discarded. Versatility Because the nature of the cutting stream can be easily modified the water jet can be used in nearly every industry; there are many different materials that the water jet can cut. Some of them have unique characteristics that require special attention when cutting. Materials commonly cut with a water jet include textiles, rubber, foam, plastics, leather, composites, stone, tile, glass, metals, food, paper and much more. "Most ceramics can also be cut on an abrasive water jet as long as the material is softer than the abrasive being used (between 7.5 and 8.5 on the Mohs scale)". Examples of materials that cannot be cut with a water jet are tempered glass and diamonds. Water jets are capable of cutting up to of metals and of most materials, though in specialized coal mining applications, water jets are capable of cutting up to using a nozzle. Specially designed water jet cutters are commonly used to remove excess bitumen from road surfaces that have become the subject of binder flushing. Flushing is a natural occurrence caused during hot weather where the aggregate becomes level with the bituminous binder layer creating a hazardously smooth road surface during wet