Abstract: The invention comprises a process for recovering secondary polyols from polyadducts which contain nonglycolysable constituents. In the process, a precomminuted polyadduct starting material is pretreated with glycols in a shear reactor at elevated temperature and pressure, for a relatively short time period, the nonglycolysable constituent being further comminuted and dispersed and the polyadducts being preglycolyzed. The preproduct thus obtained is broken down in subsequent stir reactors at a somewhat elevated temperature and for longer times, first without the further addition of glycol, and then with further addition of glycol. From the secondary polyol finally obtained, a plastic can be produced which can be further processed to make plastic components.