Toxicity and effects on various soil microbial parameters of oily waste containing radionuclides in a leaching column experiment were estimated. Microbial metabolic quotient and cellulase activity were mainly influenced by oily components of the waste, but not by radionuclides, and the effect was more pronounced in the upper layer of the column. On the other hand, the structure of bacterial community analyzed using PCR-SSCP was shown to be affected by both hydrocarbons and radioactivity.