Dealing with the sociotechnical system of nuclear waste needs an integrated perspective. Its global blockage is due to the neglect of relevant issues. The concept of sustainability (passive protection & control) suggests itself as a reference, enabling a stepwise analysis of dimensions: beyond the triad of ecological/economical/social, also temporal, spatial, technical, political, ethical. The proposal avoids simple complexity reduction, either “technical” or “social fix” (volunteers first).