A process for producing purified ethylene oxide and monoethylene glycol, the process comprising the steps of: a) providing a quenched and alkaline treated and water washed vaporous reaction stream, wherein the quenched and alkaline treated and water washed vaporous reaction stream comprises EO, CO 2, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde; b) contacting the quenched and alkaline treated and water washed vaporous reaction stream with water in an EO absorber to produce a first absorbate stream having a first EO concentration in water; c) dividing the first absorbate stream into a first portion of the first absorbate stream, a second portion of the first absorbate stream, and a third portion of the first absorbate stream; d) feeding the first portion of the first absorbate stream to an EO stripper and contacting the first portion of the first absorbate stream with steam to produce a vaporous EO stream; e) feeding the vaporous EO stream to an EO reabsorber and contacting the vaporous EO stream with the second portion of the first absorbate stream to form a reabsorber bottoms stream, wherein the reabsorber bottoms stream has a second EO concentration in water that is higher than the first EO concentration in water; f) dividing the reabsorber bottoms stream into a first portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream and a second portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream; g) feeding the first portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream to a first lights stripper and contacting the first portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream with steam to produce a first lights stripper bottoms, wherein the first light stripper bottoms has a third EO concentration in water that is higher than the first EO concentration in water; h) feeding the first lights stripper bottoms to a high purity ethylene oxide distillation column to produce purified EO; i) combining the second portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream and the third portion of the first absorbate stream to produce a second lights stripper feed; j) feeding the second lights stripper feed to a second lights stripper and contacting the second lights stripper feed with steam to produce a second lights stripper bottom stream, wherein the second lights bottom stream has a fourth EO concentration in water that is lower than the third EO concentration in water; and k) feeding the second lights bottom stream to a glycol reactor to produce MEG. a) providing a quenched and alkaline treated and water washed vaporous reaction stream, wherein the quenched and alkaline treated and water washed vaporous reaction stream comprises EO, CO 2, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde; b) contacting the quenched and alkaline treated and water washed vaporous reaction stream with water in an EO absorber to produce a first absorbate stream having a first EO concentration in water; c) dividing the first absorbate stream into a first portion of the first absorbate stream, a second portion of the first absorbate stream, and a third portion of the first absorbate stream; d) feeding the first portion of the first absorbate stream to an EO stripper and contacting the first portion of the first absorbate stream with steam to produce a vaporous EO stream; e) feeding the vaporous EO stream to an EO reabsorber and contacting the vaporous EO stream with the second portion of the first absorbate stream to form a reabsorber bottoms stream, wherein the reabsorber bottoms stream has a second EO concentration in water that is higher than the first EO concentration in water; f) dividing the reabsorber bottoms stream into a first portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream and a second portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream; g) feeding the first portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream to a first lights stripper and contacting the first portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream with steam to produce a first lights stripper bottoms, wherein the first light stripper bottoms has a third EO concentration in water that is higher than the first EO concentration in water; h) feeding the first lights stripper bottoms to a high purity ethylene oxide distillation column to produce purified EO; i) combining the second portion of the reabsorber bottoms stream and the third portion of the first absorbate stream to produce a second lights stripper feed; j) feeding the second lights stripper feed to a second lights stripper and contacting the second lights stripper feed with steam to produce a second lights stripper bottom stream, wherein the second lights bottom stream has a fourth EO concentration in water that is lower than the third EO concentration in water; and k) feeding the second lights bottom stream to a glycol reactor to produce MEG.