He Chunyu, a middle school teacher, puts the discarded plastic bottles into a bag. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"The best time for me to collect is after students take out the trash in the morning, during lunch break and after school," He said.

"My colleagues often jokingly call me ‘King of Waste' and my wife often complains about my dirty clothes," He told China Daily. "However, they all give me great support."

In 2009, He garnered much attention after his story was broadcast on local TV.

The local education department decided to establish a fund in the school to help needy students.

He also contributed his donations to the fund.

"Actually, what I can do is quite limited, but I hope I can express my warmth and concern for students in difficulty, which may encourage them to persevere," he said.