The debug cheats I'm talking about are available when you shift-click items. If you have them enabled, and turn testing cheats on, you get even more options when you shift-click. Like with trash cans, one of the options will be Trash Can State, which then gives options for empty, full, overflowing, and death by flies.
The only way I know to enable them is through MCCC, though there is probably a console command that will do it.