Silver birch trees could be for the chop in Christchurch, if residents can prove they're making them ill.

A Christchurch City Council committee will today consider whether the council should pay to replace unwanted birches.

Scientists have linked silver birch trees to lip swelling, nausea, wheezing, vomiting, and hay fever.

Earlier this year Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Hamish Riach won a four-year battle to have two silver birch trees removed from outside his home - because they made family members unwell.

The committee will today decide whether more people should be able to do the same.

Under the proposed policy, residents would need hard proof that the tree is the sole cause of their health problems.

The meeting gets underway at 8am.