Process for the continuous recirculation of the olefin which has not been reacted in the epoxidation of olefins by means of hydroperoxide to give oxiranes and is present in the offgas stream formed during the epoxidation, which comprises the steps (i) to (iii) (i) compressing and cooling the offgas stream, (ii) seperating the olefin from the offgas stream obtain in step (i) by distillation, (iii) epoxidizing the olefin seperating off in step (ii) by means of hydroperoxide.