The decline in government interest (both USA and abroad) in further developing liquid metal cooled reactors has left a legancy of unneeded and unused government owned sodium and NaK component test facilities, including nuclear reactors. These facilities will have to have their inventories of sodium drained and the equipment and piping treated to passivate the residual reactive metal. The bulk drained sodium (estimated at 1.4 million kg that will be radioactive, and 0.9 million that will be non radioactive) will also have to be treated to convert the chemically active metallic sodium into a non hazardous chemical form or possibly reused (non radioactive sodium). A review of the past experience with the various techniques for safety handling and disposing of reactive metals and facilities and equipment containing these materials is presented with emphasis on both the technical basis and practical requirements involved.