momus - where have you been the past half century? Cadmium in other than tiny quantities too small for industrial usage has been banned in the US ever since the mid-60's. The EU gives a small exemption for small batch artist pigment manufacture only, but is otherwise on a total ban mode. Too bad, because a system was devised in the EU to vacuum-deposit cadmium pigments with clear titanium (much like a lens coating), making these particles physiologically inert if accidentally ingested; but the law against acquiring or processing sufficient amounts of cadmium to begin with makes its commercially and financially unfeasible. And it really is hazardous. I've known seriously messed up painters who smeared cadmium pigments with their fingers. And in this area there were once industrial paint factories where now it's illegal to even drill a hole in asphalt of concrete without a special permit because there's so much cadmium, lead, and chromium capped off in the soil underneath. I've had several friends die prematurely due to working in those kinds of places, or in shipyards where such coatings were applied.
And no - it's not safe even if you get a little on your paws, like that artist pigment link states. A little here, a little there.... it all adds up, just like lead poisoning. And just like darkroom work, there is a logical reason disposable nitrile gloves were invented.
