Process for preparing a pressure-sensitive adhesive, • where a polyacrylate is prepared from a reaction solution comprising one or more solvents and one or more monomers by free-radical polymerization, • where at least 50% by weight of the solvents are organic solvents, and where additionally at least 70% by weight of the monomers are acrylic and/or methacrylic esters, • where the reaction solution further comprises at least one chain transfer agent, characterized in that • at least one of the organic solvents used, more particularly all of the organic solvents, are taken from a recycling operation, • the chain transfer agent used comprises a compound of the following general structural formula in which - R 1, R 2 and R 3 are selected independently of one another, - R 1 is selected from the group (i) of linear and branched C 1 to C 18 alkyl radicals, linear and branched C 2 to C 18 alkenyl radicals, linear and branched C 2 to C 18 alkynyl radicals, aryl radicals, cycloaliphatic, aliphatic and aromatic heterocycles, and hydrogen, - R 2 and R 3 are selected from the group (i) or from group (ii) of acyl radicals, more particularly alkanoyl radicals, and cycloalkanecarbonyl radicals and arenecarbonyl radicals (-C -R'), alkoxycarbonyl radicals (-C -O-R'), carbamoyl radicals (-C -NR'R"), and sulphonyl radicals (-SO 2 R'), where R' and R" are radicals from the group i) that are selected independently of one another, - X is oxygen, sulphur or selenium (Se), - and n is a natural number including zero, • the solvent is removed from the polymerization product after the polymerization down to a residual solvent fraction of not more than 2%, and the chain transfer agent remains in the polymerization product when the solvent is removed, • the solvent removed is supplied to the recycling operation, • and the polymerization product is processed further from the melt. • where a polyacrylate is prepared from a reaction solution comprising one or more solvents and one or more monomers by free-radical polymerization, • where at least 50% by weight of the solvents are organic solvents, and where additionally at least 70% by weight of the monomers are acrylic and/or methacrylic esters, • where the reaction solution further comprises at least one chain transfer agent, • at least one of the organic solvents used, more particularly all of the organic solvents, are taken from a recycling operation, • the chain transfer agent used comprises a compound of the following general structural formula in which - R 1, R 2 and R 3 are selected independently of one another, - R 1 is selected from the group (i) of linear and branched C 1 to C 18 alkyl radicals, linear and branched C 2 to C 18 alkenyl radicals, linear and branched C 2 to C 18 alkynyl radicals, aryl radicals, cycloaliphatic, aliphatic and aromatic heterocycles, and hydrogen, - R 2 and R 3 are selected from the group (i) or from group (ii) of acyl radicals, more particularly alkanoyl radicals, and cycloalkanecarbonyl radicals and arenecarbonyl radicals (-C -R'), alkoxycarbonyl radicals (-C -O-R'), carbamoyl radicals (-C -NR'R"), and sulphonyl radicals (-SO 2 R'), where R' and R" are radicals from the group i) that are selected independently of one another, - X is oxygen, sulphur or selenium (Se), - and n is a natural number including zero, - R 1, R 2 and R 3 are selected independently of one another, - R 1 is selected from the group (i) of linear and branched C 1 to C 18 alkyl radicals, linear and branched C 2 to C 18 alkenyl radicals, linear and branched C 2 to C 18 alkynyl radicals, aryl radicals, cycloaliphatic, aliphatic and aromatic heterocycles, and hydrogen, - R 2 and R 3 are selected from the group (i) or from group (ii) of acyl radicals, more particularly alkanoyl radicals, and cycloalkanecarbonyl radicals and arenecarbonyl radicals (-C -R'), alkoxycarbonyl radicals (-C -O-R'), carbamoyl radicals (-C -NR'R"), and sulphonyl radicals (-SO 2 R'), where R' and R" are radicals from the group i) that are selected independently of one another, - X is oxygen, sulphur or selenium (Se), - and n is a natural number including zero, • the solvent is removed from the polymerization product after the polymerization down to a residual solvent fraction of not more than 2%, and the chain transfer agent remains in the polymerization product when the solvent is removed, • the solvent removed is supplied to the recycling operation, • and the polymerization product is processed further from the melt.